The Detroit Tigers (82-74) face a six-game home series to secure a spot in the MLB playoffs, and they are in a good position in the race to October.
It starts today when the Tigers open a three-game series with the 78-78 Tampa Bay Rays at 1:10 p.m. today at Comerica Park. Here’s everything you need to know.
The Tigers’ magic number is a little complicated. To beat the Minnesota Twins and make the playoffs, the Tigers’ magic number is 6meaning they need a combination of six wins or losses against the team behind them in the standings — in this case, the Minnesota Twins — to reach the postseason. The Tigers (82-74) have a one-game lead over the Twins (81-75), a 1½-game lead over the Seattle Mariners and are tied with the Kansas City Royals for the second AL wild-card spot (with the Royals having the tiebreaker).
This means that the Tigers technically have several different magic numbers. For the Royals, the magic number is 7, to knock off the Twins, that number is 6, but it’s not quite that simple, as the Red Sox and Mariners can technically catch the Tigers and Twins if they end up losing multiple games.
The Tigers enter the final stretch as one of baseball’s strongest teams, with a 13-5 record and five straight wins in September. A combination of top-notch pitching and decisive hitting with manager AJ Hinch pulling the right strings has put them in a strong position. And the Tigers upped the ante on Monday by naming MLB’s most promising pitcher, Jackson Jobe, to the bullpen for the postseason hunt.
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Here’s a full breakdown of the Tigers’ wild card scenarios as they relate to the magic number.
Detroit Tigers schedule
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Minnesota Twins Schedule
- Twins vs. Miami Marlins (57-99) on Tuesday/Thursday.
- Twins against Baltimore Orioles (86-70) from Friday to Sunday.
Kansas City Royals Schedule
- Royals at the Washington Nationals (69-87) on Tuesday and Thursday.
- Royals at Atlanta Braves (85-71) from Friday to Sunday.
Seattle Mariners Schedule
- Mariners at Houston Astros (85-72) on Tuesday-Wednesday.
- Mariners against Oakland Athletics (67-89) from Friday to Sunday.
Boston Red Sox schedule
- Red Sox at Toronto Blue Jays (73-84) on Tuesday/Wednesday.
- Red Sox vs Tampa Bay Rays (78-78) from Friday to Sunday.
How MLB Wildcard Tiebreakers Work
The recent introduction of tiebreakers instead of a 163rd game to decide standings complicates the Tigers’ magic number equation. The tiebreakers are decided based on head-to-head results, meaning the Tigers are technically one game behind the Royals after losing the season series 7-6 and must finish one game ahead of the Twins, who also won the season series against Detroit 7-6.
The math in this crazy wild-card race is even more complex. As the Free Press’ weekly newsletter pointed out Monday, the Tigers have magic numbers compared to the other teams still in the wild-card race, depending on how the final six games play out.
“The Tigers really have a set of magic numbers, I think: 10 with Baltimore, 7 with Kansas City, 6 with Minnesota, 4 with Seattle, 3 with Tampa Bay, 2 with Boston,” via former Free Press sports editor Gene Myers.
The tragic number of the Detroit Tigers
The Tigers’ elimination number or “tragic number” is 7 go into the last week.
Tragic numbers are the opposite of magic numbers. Seven Tigers losses and Twins wins would knock the Tigers out of the playoffs, assuming the Royals maintain their lead over the Tigers.
Jared Ramsey is a sports reporter for the Detroit Free Press Coverage of the city’s professional teams, the state’s two leading universities and more. Follow Jared on X @jared_ramsey22and email him at [email protected].
