Tigers Divisional Hopes Beginning To Feel Lost As Playoffs Slip From Their Grasp

Is it all over for the Detroit Tigers?

Sep 23, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler (13) reacts after striking out in the ninth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. | David Richard-Imagn Images

The Detroit Tigers continued what has been a disastrous run of late with their seventh consecutive loss and 10th of the last 11. This defeat may have been the worst one yet, though, as the Cleveland Guardians have now pulled to a tie at the top of the American League Central.

There was a period over the summer in which Detroit held a 15.5-game lead over Cleveland, but this has been erased. Now, the Tigers are on the brink of making some unfortunate history with the largest ever blown divisional lead.

After what was a brutal sixth inning on Tuesday night that will be the main memory of the season should Detroit finish off their own demise, it is starting to feel like the end for the Tigers. That's not to be pessimistic, but it's beyond fair to ask how they can realistically come back from this.

With Tarik Skubal on the mound and desperate for a win, Detroit squandered yet another opportunity and still has two more games on the road against the Guardians, who cannot seem to do anything wrong right now.

Do Tigers Realistically Have Any Chance of Bouncing Back?

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The good news here is that Detroit still has an excellent chance of making the playoffs. They hold a one-game lead and the tiebreaker over the also floundering Houston Astros for the final Wild Card spot. As for the American League Central, though, while it feels silly to call this race over with five total games and two head-to-head matchups remaining, the Tigers are on the brink of giving it away.

They still control their own destiny, but if they lose again on Wednesday night, that benefit goes away. They would then have to not only rely on beating the seemingly unbeatable Guardians, but also hope their rivals drop a game in their final three.

Tigers Need to Focus On Task at Hand

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Losing the division would be a complete embarrassment. And frankly, the way Detroit is currently playing, there is not much hope for them come out of the Wild Card round if they do make the playoffs. But the Tigers need to take things one game at a time and figure this out.

For as horrible as the last few weeks have been, this is a team with everything ahead of it and one who is in complete control of whether or not they have the chance to succeed or fail.

It doesn't feel like it right now, but Detroit is still capable of not only making the playoffs, but making a run when they get there. Starting on Wednesday night, every game is a new season and the Tigers are going to have to treat it like that.