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.
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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. Will the Tigers hold on after a late-season scare? Can the Guardians, 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. 27 games.
AL Central standings
- Guardians, 87-74 (.540)
- Tigers, 87-75 (.540), 1.0 GB
- Royals, 81-80 (.503), ELIMINATED
- Twins, 70-91 (.435), ELIMINATED
- White Sox, 59-102 (.366), ELIMINATED
The Guardians and Tigers entered Sunday even in the standings. Detroit's defeat against the Red Sox condemned it to second-place finish in the AL Central, as the Guardians control the tiebreaker.
The Guardians have completely flipped the division around in recent weeks. Meanwhile, the Tigers' unfathomable collapse threatened to knock them out of postseason contention altogether until they clinched a berth on Saturday and exhaled.
Tigers magic number
The Tigers clinched a postseason berth on Saturday but do not have a magic number to win the AL Central because they don't control their own fate.
Guardians magic number
The Guardians now lead the AL Central, so they do have a magic number. Cleveland needs a combination of one wins or Tigers loss on Sunday to clinch the AL Central. The Guardians did clinch a postseason berth on Saturday, ensuring they will play October baseball.
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AL wild-card standings
Standings updated through Sept. 27.
- WC1: Yankees*, 93-68 (.578), +6.0
- WC2: Red Sox*, 88-73 (.547), +1.0
- WC3: Tigers, 87-74 (.540)
* Indicates clinched postseason berth
The Tigers fell from the AL Central lead to the WC3 spot, and they have remained there since. They clinched a postseason berth on Saturday, eliminating the 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 an 8-5 head-to-head record.