The Tigers are stumbling into the end of the regular season as they cling to a one-game lead over the Guardians in the race for the American League Central crown. Tight division races are common this time of year, but usually not when the leading team held a 14-game lead in the division and was up 15 1/2 games on the team in second place in July.
Detroit was swept by the Braves on Sunday for its sixth loss in a row and ninth over its last 10 games. Luckily for the Tigers, Cleveland lost to the Twins on Sunday, which snapped an incredible 10-game winning streak during which the Guardians won 15 of 16. A 10 1/2 game lead on the Guardians at the start of September suddenly evaporated to one with six games left.
