Detroit was once the epicenter of misery in the sports world. The Lions, Pistons, Red Wings, and Tigers used to find themselves at the bottom of the table seemingly every year, but times are changing. After the Lions’ NFC North title and deep playoff run last year, Detroit fans finally have a team to cheer for. The Lions’ success on the gridiron was so infectious that the Tigers became a playoff team overnight on the diamond.
On August 30th, the Tigers had a 2.5% chance to make the playoffs. On September 2nd, the Minnesota Twins had a 95.8% chance to make the playoffs. Just one month later, Detroit earned the final AL Wild Card spot – it’s first postseason berth since 2014 – and Minnesota missed the playoffs entirely. That’s why they play all 162 games (for anyone still complaining about MLB’s long season). Detroit isn’t satisfied with a playoff berth, though. They want to win the pennant.
In baseball, the hottest teams win in October, and the Tigers are scorching hot. Detroit earned a ticket to the dance and they plan to dance until they’re the last team standing. Tigers’ head coach AJ Hinch said it best: “I’m not sure who, but somebody let the Tigers get hot!”
Detroit drew the Houston Astros in the Wild Card round, Hinch’s former team. On January 13, 2020, Houston fired Hinch for his involvement in their condemnatory sign-stealing scandal. On October 2nd, 2024, Hinch and the Tigers completed a two-game sweep of his former team to advance to the ALDS. Poetic justice? Yeah, I think so.
For the sake of the underdog story, let’s hope Detroit stays hot. They are the youngest team in baseball, with an average age of 26 years old, and their youthful ignorance is seemingly a secret weapon. They just swept a veteran Astros team with 581 games of playoff experience to their 12, and Detroit outplayed Houston in both games.
The Tigers now face the Cleveland Guardians in the ALDS, a familiar foe who finished atop the AL Central division. Cleveland narrowly won the 13-game season series 7-6, but the two teams last played on July 30. That was over two months ago! At the time, Detroit was 52-57 and nowhere near playoff contention. Different teams, bigger stage, brighter lights.
Finally, when the ALDS moves to Detroit for Games 3 and 4, the Tigers need full-scale performances from Eminem and Big Sean. If Detroit takes care of Cleveland with Eminem front and center, New York better watch out because the Tigers are coming for Aaron Judge, his gavel, and those pinstripes.
Motor City to the World Series?
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