If you’ve been following your own team all year and were not looking league-wide to prepare for postseason baseball, you might be surprised to see the Detroit Tigers clinched a spot in this year’s playoffs. Well, you’re not alone. A young Tigers team that appeared to be dead in the water by midseason, and sold off key pieces like Jack Flaherty, reliever Andrew Chafin, and catcher Carson Kelly at the trade deadline, has shocked the world by storming down the stretch to overtake the Minnesota Twins to snatch a wild card spot in the season’s final week.
Led by ace starting pitcher, and probable American League Cy Young award winner, Tarik Skubal, and All-Star outfielder Riley Greene, the Tigers do have a little star power going now after an interminable seven-year rebuild.