Guardians Stifling Tigers Pursuit of AL Central Title Magic Number

The Detroit Tigers are showing signs of slumping at the worst possible time against their AL Central Division rivals.

Detroit Tigers pitcher Will Vest (19) pitches in the tenth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Comerica Park. | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

Just a few weeks ago, the Detroit Tigers winning the American League Central Division title seemed inevitable. Now, not so much.

The Cleveland Guardians (79-71) defeated the Detroit Tigers (85-66), 7-5, in 10 innings on Tuesday in the opener of a three-game series where the Tigers were hoping to put some distance between themselves and the Guardians. Instead, Cleveland cut another game off of Detroit’s division lead.

That’s been the trend of late. The Guardians have won 10 of their last 11 games and have trimmed four games off Detroit’s division lead since Thursday. The Guardians put up four runs in the top of the 10th to break a 3-3 tie. While Detroit’s Spencer Torkelson hit a two-run home run, the Tigers could get no closer.

Detroit Tigers Magic Number to Clinch AL Central

GLEYBOMB 💣 pic.twitter.com/kXi4RKIa13

— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) September 16, 2025

The Tigers had a magic number of seven to clinch the division going into the series. The magic number is a combination of Tigers wins and Guardians losses that would eliminate Cleveland from contention for the division title. Because the Guardians won, the magic number stays at seven for now.

But Detroit can still cut into that magic number in the remaining two games of the series:

If Detroit wins one out of the remaining two games the magic number falls to five.

If Detroit wins the remaining two games the magic number falls to three.

Winning at least one of these games is vital for the Tigers because the two teams play each other next week in Cleveland. The longer the Guardians hang around, the harder it will be for the Tigers to get rid of them. Fueling Cleveland’s rally is a chance to sneak into the AL wild card playoff, where they are gaining ground as well.

Detroit’s last division title was in 2014, and it was the last of a four-season run in which they dominated the division. In that span they went to the World Series in 2012 and reached the ALCS on two other occasions. The Tigers have not won a World Series title since their 1984 team. Detroit went to the playoffs last year as a wild card team and reached the divisional round, where it lost to the Guardians.

Detroit Tigers Magic Number Watch

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— Detroit Tigers (@tigers) September 17, 2025

Magic Number to Clinch AL Central Title: 7

Detroit Tigers Games Remaining: 11

Detroit Tigers Remaining Schedule: Sept. 17-18, vs. Cleveland; Sept. 19-21, vs. Atlanta; Sept. 23-25 at Cleveland; Sept. 26-28, at Boston.

AL Central Race (after Sept. 16)

Detroit Tigers: 85-66 (lead division)

Cleveland Guardians: 79-71 (5.5 games back)

Cleveland Guardians Remaining Schedule (12 games): Sept. 17-18, at Detroit; Sept. 19-21, vs. Minnesota (four games in three days); Sept. 23-25, vs. Detroit; Sept. 26-28, vs. Texas.