Win and You’re In: Detroit Tigers on the Brink of Clinching Playoff Berth After 10 Years
The Detroit Tigers are just one win away from clinching their first playoff berth in a decade, and Friday night could be the night they finally punch their ticket to the postseason. The magic number is 1, and the Tigers can secure their spot in front of a home crowd at Comerica Park as they take on the division rival Chicago White Sox.
The stakes are high on both sides. While the Tigers are chasing their playoff dreams, the White Sox are on the verge of setting a modern-era record for the most losses in a season since 1901. One more defeat would cement their place in unfortunate history. Meanwhile, Detroit could also clinch a berth with a Minnesota Twins loss to the Baltimore Orioles, whose game starts at 8:10 p.m.
For Tigers fans, this moment has been a long time coming. Detroit holds the longest active playoff drought in MLB, last making the postseason in 2014. Just two months ago, on August 10, they were 11 games out of a wild-card spot, with less than a 1% chance of making it. Now, with three games remaining, they sit three games up in the standings, having mounted a thrilling comeback.
Manager A.J. Hinch continues to employ his unorthodox “opener” strategy, starting right-handed reliever Brenan Hanifee (1-1, 1.98 ERA) against the White Sox’s top lefty, Garrett Crochet (6-12, 3.68 ERA). The White Sox, despite their challenging season, have won three straight games, while the Tigers are riding a five-game winning streak of their own.
If they secure the victory, the Tigers will face either the Baltimore Orioles or the Houston Astros in a best-of-three wild-card series starting Tuesday. With three chances to get it done, the excitement is palpable.
Stay tuned for live updates as the Tigers take on the White Sox in this critical game!