The eighth of ten playoff teams has been decided, and it's a familiar face: the Detroit Tigers. Detroit won their third straight AL Central crown on Wednesday night after beating the Twins 1-0 as Max Scherzer let a first inning run stand up thanks to a solid pitching performance against Minnesota.
With a record of 93-66 with six games to play, the Tigers still have a solid chance at hosting an ALDS matchup. The Tigers are two games behind the Red Sox for the AL's top seed, and one game back of the A's for the second seed. Last year, Detroit and Oakland faced off in the ALDS, and the Tigers prevailed in five games, winning the first two games at Comerica Park before losing two in a row in the O.co Coliseum before winning Game 5.
The final two AL playoff spots are down to four teams: the Rays, Indians, Rangers, and Royals. Kansas City can actually be eliminated tonight, depending on the outcome of their game with the Mariners, while the Rangers will go into the final weekend of the regular season unsure on whether or not they can catch either the Rays or Indians. Tampa Bay's magic number for clinching a playoff berth is three, while Cleveland's is four.
