Tigers Take AL Central Magic Number to Huge Showdown with Cleveland

The Tigers have a magic number of seven going into the series, which starts on Tuesday. That magic number is a combination of Tigers wins and Guardians losses. For three straight days, from Thursday through Saturday, Detroit lost and Cleveland won, holding the Tigers’ magic number in place and allowing the Guardians to cut three games off the AL Central lead.

So, Detroit winning on Sunday trimmed that magic number by one. As the Tigers contemplate how to handle the resurgent Guardians — who are 9-1 in the last 10 games — Detroit has a huge opportunity to make its playoff chase much easier.

Here is how Detroit’s magic number would drop, depending on how many games the Tigers win in the series:

Detroit wins one out of three and the number drops to five.

Detroit wins two out of three and the number drops to three.

Detroit sweeps the series, and the number drops to one.

Meanwhile, this is Cleveland’s last shot to make a real dent in the AL Central lead. With just 12 games remaining, the Guardians really need to sweep the series, which would cut the lead to 3.5 games with nine remaining. Plus, Detroit and Cleveland meet one more time in Cleveland from Sept. 23-25. It should be a dramatic three-game series between the two division rivals.

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

Magic Number to Clinch AL Central Title: 7

Detroit Tigers Games Remaining: 12

Detroit Tigers Remaining Schedule: Sept. 16-18, vs. Cleveland; Sept. 19-21, vs. Atlanta; Sept. 23-25 at Cleveland; Sept. 26-28, at Boston.

AL Central Race (after Sept. 14)

Detroit Tigers: 85-65 (lead division)

Cleveland Guardians: 78-71 (6.5 games back)

Kansas City Royals: 75-75 (10.0 games back)

Cleveland Guardians Remaining Schedule (13 games): Sept. 16-18, at Detroit; Sept. 19-21, vs. Minnesota (four games in three days); Sept. 23-25, vs. Detroit; Sept. 26-28, vs. Texas.

Kansas City Royals Remaining Schedule (12 games): Sept. 16-18, vs. Seattle; Sept. 19-21, vs. Toronto; Sept. 23-25, at Los Angeles Angels; Sept. 26-28, at Athletics.