Tigers clinch playoff berth; AL Central crown still undecided
Detroit locks in a postseason berth with a win at Fenway, while the AL Central race remains unsettled with one weekend left as Cleveland pursues a tiebreaker scenario
Detroit clinched a playoff berth with a 2-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Saturday, a result that moved the Tigers into first place in the American League Central for the moment and guaranteed at least a postseason appearance.
Jahmai Jones supplied the offense in Sunday's game, delivering a two-run single in the fifth inning to account for both of Detroit's runs. The Saturday win had already produced the clinching moment and the clubhouse celebration that followed.
Entering Saturday's action, Detroit held a half-game lead over Cleveland. A Tigers win, coupled with a Guardians defeat in any of their final two games, would give Detroit the division crown.
Meanwhile, Cleveland remained in pursuit in the division chase, with the Guardians tied 2-2 with the Texas Rangers in the ninth inning on Saturday when CJ Kayfus was hit by a pitch, forcing home the potential game-winning run for Texas. The result kept the division outcome in question heading into the final weekend of the regular season, with the tiebreaker favoring Cleveland if the two teams end tied.
Detroit has endured a dramatic late-season collapse, dropping 12 of 14 as it tried to maintain a sizable cushion through September after carrying a 14-game lead earlier in the summer. The skid sparked a rapid shift in the standings and a tense finish to the season, but the Tigers earned the necessary win on Saturday to stay alive in the division race.
Manager A.J. Hinch described the late stretch as a wild ride that was ultimately worth it for the club, underscoring the resilience and fight that carried Detroit to this point. The Tigers, who have not advanced to the postseason in back-to-back seasons, now head into the final day of the regular season with a chance to clinch the division outright if Cleveland falters.
The schedule presses on with one game remaining in the regular season for Detroit, as they close the year in Boston on Sunday. The Guardians also have games left as they attempt to force a division conclusion of their own. The outcome will determine not only playoff seeding but the ultimate fate of the AL Central crown.