Left for dead last month, the Tigers roared back to life and are returning to the playoffs for the first time in 10 years. With their 4-1 win over the White Sox Friday night, they clinched one of the most improbable postseason berths in MLB history.
"I would say I’ve seen crazier, but I haven’t," said All-Star Riley Greene. "We’re just taking care of business. We’re going out there wanting to win, bringing the energy every day, and things are happening."
The Tigers were 55-63 and 10 games back in the wild card race on Aug. 10. Their playoff odds, according to FanGraphs, were 0.2 percent. They have the best record in baseball since. They are the second MLB team ever to make the playoffs in a non-shortened season after being at least eight games under .500 in August, and the first since the 1973 Mets.
Is this magic?
"I don’t know," said A.J. Hinch. "If so, bottle it up and keep bringing it to the ballpark. I do think that we believe. I’ve said that over and over. And getting to the park every day, there’s a renewed energy because of what’s going on and what we think we can accomplish. Whether that’s magic, momentum, mojo, vibe, whatever, we love it. And we want more of it."
Over the stretch that the Tigers are now 31-11, the Twins are 17-26, which allowed the Tigers to pass them in the wild card race. But Detroit earned its spot in October. The club has the lowest ERA and the best run differential in the majors over said surge. A rotation with one stable starter and a bullpen full of no-names has morphed into the best pitching staff in the game. At the plate and in the field, the Tigers have won with youth.
"This is an unbelievable experience, and we don’t want it to stop. And it doesn’t have to stop if we can continue to play this well," said Hinch, who led the Astros to two AL pennants and a World Series title before taking over in Detroit. "I know what it feels like to accomplish something, and I want so desperately for these guys to get to taste it."
They tasted champagne Friday night, in front of a sold-out crowd at Comerica Park. Tyler Holton got the final out as "Let's Go Tigers" chants rang throughout the stadium.
The Tigers' nine-year playoff drought was tied with the Angels for the longest in the majors. It looked like both teams would make it 10, especially when the Tigers sold at the trade deadline. But they got better as they got younger, and healthier. The returns of Parker Meadows, Kerry Carpenter and Greene from injuries were huge. Now the Angels stand alone.
It remains to be seen who the Tigers will play in the wild card round, in what will be a best-of-three series. They could still finish in any of the three wild card spots, but their most likely opponent is either the Astros or the Orioles. The duration of the series, if the Tigers are the lower seed, would be on the road.