DETROIT – I really didn’t want to do this.
It feels like a jinx, and I might be setting us all up for disappointment when we should just sit back and enjoy this mini hot streak for what it is: a fun week of Detroit’s young players beating up on bad teams.
But I took a peek at the standings this morning, and we can’t ignore it any longer. OK, here it goes: The Detroit Tigers might be back in the playoff picture.
Might.
We talked about this possibility on Monday during our weekly Detroit Sports+ segment (watch below).
At the time, the Tigers were on the brink of reaching .500 post-All-Star break for the first time in eight years. Since then, they’ve gotten back to the winning side with a pair of victories.
This winning streak also happens to coincide with a few well-timed slumps by teams ahead of the Tigers in the standings.
Minnesota has lost three straight. Boston just snapped a four-game losing streak. Seattle dropped 10 of 14 (including a three-game sweep in Detroit) and fired its coach.
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The result is that, suddenly, the Tigers are just 5.5 games behind the Twins for the third and final wild card spot. And the Red Sox are the only team between the Tigers and Twins. Boston is 1.5 games ahead of the Tigers and will visit Detroit over the weekend for three games.
Theoretically, if the Tigers keep playing well, they could be the top team outside the playoff bracket by the end of the weekend.
Back to the Twins. While 5.5 games doesn’t sound like a lot, it’s a fairly steep hill to climb in just 29 games. The Tigers can’t afford to stumble at all in September.
But the schedules do give the Tigers a chance to make up some ground. Here’s a look at the rest of the season for both teams.
Tigers’ remaining schedule:
- 2 games vs. Angels (54-78).
- 3 games vs. Red Sox (68-64).
- 3 games vs. Padres (76-58).
- 3 games vs. Athletics (57-75).
- 3 games vs. Rockies (49-84).
- 6 games vs. Orioles (77-56).
- 3 games vs. Royals (75-58).
- 3 games vs. Rays (66-66).
- 3 games vs. White Sox (31-101).
Twins’ remaining schedule:
- 1 game vs. Braves (72-60).
- 3 games vs. Blue Jays (65-69).
- 4 games vs. Rays (66-66).
- 3 games vs. Royals (75-58).
- 3 games vs. Angels (54-78).
- 3 games vs. Reds (63-69).
- 4 games vs. Guardians (75-58).
- 3 games vs. Red Sox (68-64).
- 3 games vs. Marlins (48-84).
- 3 games vs. Orioles (77-56).
This is an oversimplification, but you could categorize the Tigers’ schedule as having 11 more games against horrible teams, six games against solid teams, and 12 games against really good teams.
The Twins have six more games against horrible teams, 13 games against solid teams, and 11 games against really good teams.
Detroit needs to capitalize on those remaining games against the Angels, Athletics, Rockies, and White Sox. That’s what got the Tigers back into the race, and it’s their best path to pull off a miracle.
Minnesota is dealing with quite a bit of bad injury luck right now. Carlos Correa hasn’t played for over a month, and ace Joe Ryan will miss the rest of the season with a shoulder issue. Byron Buxton is currently on the injured list, while Alex Kirilloff just had a setback in his rehab.
Correa and Buxton have been Minnesota’s best players this season, and Ryan was leading the pitching staff. While the Tigers have seemingly injected new life into their roster with Jace Jung, Trey Sweeney, Parker Meadows, and Spencer Torkelson, the Twins’ roster is slowly falling apart due to injuries.
Look, I still don’t think the Tigers are going to make the playoffs -- not exactly a hot take considering the current standings. But this winning streak has at least given them a chance when it looked like this season was completely over.
Like I said in the Detroit Sports+ segment above, it feels like just uttering the word “playoffs” is dooming the Tigers to lose their next two games against the Angels.
But it’s been so, so long since we could talk about a playoff race this late in the season. So you know what: I’m doing it while I have the chance.
No matter what happens, the success of Detroit’s young core is a great sign for the future. And maybe, just maybe, the future is a bit closer than we thought.
