AL Central on the line: Tigers face Guardians in high-stakes showdown after brutal losing streak
The hugely enticing game between the Tigers and the Guardians has both sets of fans on edge.
The pain is greater because the objective was so close, but it slipped from their grasp and now the pressure is on. The Cleveland Guardians failed to keep their sensational winning streak alive, with a 10-game win streak ending after a 6-2 victory for Minnesota at Target Field.
“We couldn’t be more excited to get back home,” manager Steven Vogt said. “I know it’s school nights, I know people work, but we need our fans. We need to pack out Progressive. ... The boys are ready. We know what’s at stake, and it’s going to be a lot of fun this week.”
And the Progressive will host one of the most intense showdowns that we will see this year. Starting Tuesday, the Tigers will go head to head with the Guardians across three matches that could define the season.
⚾ Daily MLB Update: September 23, 2025
— MLB Deserve-To-Win-O-Meter (@mlb_simulator) September 23, 2025
1️⃣ Playoff %
2️⃣ Team Strength
3️⃣ AL Rooting Guide
4️⃣ NL Rooting Guide
Biggest playoff % changes:
🔴 Giants: -0.8%
🟢 Mets: +0.6%
🟢 Guardians: +0.3%#MLB #Baseball pic.twitter.com/w1B4qy0CMZ
“We have an opportunity... That’s all you can ask for"
They climbed from 15½ games out of first in the AL Central to just one game back of Detroit, helped significantly by their hot run of form: 18-6 over their last 24.
“I couldn’t be more proud of this group -- 24 games in 24 days, and to do what we did and put ourselves into a position where we have an opportunity to earn our way into the postseason,” Vogt added. “That’s all you can ask for. Obviously, ending on a note like today, it can get you down, but this won’t get this group down. We’re going to come ready to go on Tuesday.”
“I think this last month, a lot of people could say we were out of it,” said outfielder Steven Kwan. “I think [players] could have started looking at their numbers and just tried to look to the offseason. But we’ve been playing some really unselfish baseball, grinding together, sticking together. It’s been really fun, and we’ve got a really exciting week coming up.”
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The Detroit Tigers are scheduled to play the Guardians on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, at 6:40 p.m. Eastern Time (ET) at Progressive Field in Cleveland. This game is part of a crucial three-game series that could significantly impact the postseason aspirations for both sides.
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