The AL Central wasn't even remotely a competition just weeks ago. But all of a sudden, the Cleveland Guardians have made things fascinating.
While the Detroit Tigers have long held the American League's best record throughout the 2025 season, they've struggled mightily as the postseason nears. A team that was once cruising toward a second-straight playoff berth proceeded to go 26-37 (.413) from July 9 through Sept. 22; on the other hand, the Guardians have caught fire with a 15-2 stretch from Sept. 5-22.
Cleveland, which once trailed by 15.5 games in the AL Central, has cut its huge deficit to seriously threaten stealing the division from Detroit. If the Guardians can pull off the comeback, it would mark the largest deficit any team has ever overcome to win its division since 1969, per MLB.com.
📲 Follow The Sporting News on WhatsApp
Wild-card contention remains a possibility for either the Tigers or Guardians as well, but the teams will playing their final week of the season eyeing the division title, including a three-game series against one another. Will the Tigers hold on after a late-season scare? Can the Guardians, who were under .500 just weeks ago, pull off one of the most improbable comebacks MLB has ever seen?
The Sporting News is tracking the AL Central race as the 2025 season winds down. Follow along below for a breakdown of the Tigers and Guardians' chances and magic numbers.
MORE: Tracking the full 2025 MLB playoff picture
AL Central playoff picture
Standings updated through Sept. 23 games.
AL Central standings
- Guardians, 85-72 (.541)
- Tigers, 85-72 (.541)
- Royals, 79-78 (.503), ELIMINATED
- Twins, 68-89 (.433), ELIMINATED
- White Sox, 58-99 (.369), ELIMINATED
Following the first of three games between Detroit and Cleveland this week, the Tigers have officially fallen out of first place.
The Guardians claimed a 5-2 win against Tarik Skubal on Tuesday night, putting themselves tied in record with Detroit. However, Cleveland owns the tiebreaker, so it took over command of the division for the time being.
The winner of the series will control their own destiny in the AL Central, so another Guardians win vs. Detroit would be consequential.
Tigers magic number
Because the Tigers are no longer in command of the division, they do not have a magic number.
Guardians magic number
The Guardians now lead the AL Central via a tiebreaker, so they do have a magic number. Cleveland needs a combination of five wins or Tigers losses to clinch the AL Central.
The loser of the Tigers vs. Guardians series may still have a shot at a wild-card position, however.
MORE: Tracking the 2025 home-run race between Cal Raleigh, Kyle Schwarber and more
AL wild-card standings
Standings updated through Sept. 23.
- WC1: Yankees*, 89-68 (.567), +4.0
- WC2: Red Sox, 86-71 (.548), +1.0
- WC3: Tigers, 85-72 (.541)
- —
- Astros, 84-73 (.535), 1.0 GB
- Royals, 79-78 (.503), ELIMINATED
- Rangers, 79-78 (.503), ELIMINATED
- Rays, 76-81 (.484), ELIMINATED
- Orioles, 74-83 (.471), ELIMINATED
- Athletics, 74-83 (.471), ELIMINATED
- Angels, 70-87 (.446), ELIMINATED
- Twins, 68-89 (.433), ELIMINATED
- White Sox, 58-98 (.372), ELIMINATED
* Indicates clinched postseason berth
With Tuesday's loss, the Tigers fell from the AL Central lead to the WC3 spot. They currently have a slim lead over the Houston Astros for the final position.
Whichever squad between Cleveland and Detroit that cannot pull out the division will likely be attempting to claim one of the two wild-card spots up for grabs alongside the Boston Red Sox and Astros.
Guardians vs. Tigers tiebreaker
The first playoff tiebreaker for two teams in MLB is the teams’ head-to-head record. The Guardians have locked in a tiebreaker over the Tigers with a 7-4 head-to-head record.
Even if Detroit wins the final two Guardians-Tigers matchups this week, it cannot take the season series or tiebreaker.