Cleveland Guardians Pull Off Historic AL Central Comeback Against Tigers

When major leaguers perform historic feats, the Baseball Hall of Fame typically requests equipment donations from them to display in the museum at Cooperstown. For example, they have at least one of the bats Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh used to hit some of his record-breaking home runs this season.

Once the Hall of Fame comes around to Progressive Field looking for totems to mark the great Cleveland Guardians' Comeback of 2025, the club has a decision to make: Will they surrender the Tarik Skubal voodoo doll the Guardians used to help them take down the Detroit Tigers in the AL Central?

The Guardians could not have pulled off a more unlikely looking comeback Tuesday night in wresting control of the division from the Tigers in a 5-2 victory. While the teams are tied with an 85-72 record in the AL Central standings, Cleveland owns the tiebreaker with Detroit with five games to play in the regular season.

They also own all of the momentum, if you believe that sort of thing exists, plus a likely feeling of invincibility, unless those are the same.

The Tigers cruised to a big AL Central lead in the first half, and were up by as many as 15 1/2 games the morning of July 9. They're 7-19 over the past month. The last time they went to the ballpark without sole possession of the Central lead was April 23.

If the Tigers finish off 2025 in collapse mode, the Guardians will have pulled off the biggest comeback in division-era history. Only the New York Yankees 14-game comeback in 1978 would be bigger. Bucky flipping Dent, for Boston Red Sox fans.

There probably is no actual voodoo doll helping the Guardians like there was in the movie "Major League," but there's no better explanation for how the bottom of the sixth unfolded with the AL's Cy Young favorite on the mound. Jobu begat JoSkubal.

His team trailing 2-0, leadoff man Steven Kwan started with a bunt single off home plate. Ángel Martínez followed with a sacrifice bunt up the first-base line that Skubal fielded but threw wildly over the first baseman's head on an ill-advised backward flip between his legs. Eating the ball figuratively, given the angle, would have been best. But when a voodoo doll with your likeness gets pricked with a pin, one loses control.

Skubal got ahead 0-2 on José Ramírez, who fought off a 100-mph fastball on the inside corner and beat it out for an RBI single with the third baseman playing back.

Cleveland's black magic went a little sideways with the next batter, David Fry, who tried to bunt a fastball (because why take a full swing?) but fouled it off his face. Skubal dropped his glove, knocked his own hat off his head, and covered his mouth to keep from throwing up. Guardians staff hustled away Fry on a golf cart, but he was sitting up and gave Skubal a thumb's up on the way off the field.

No matter Skubal's goodwill, somebody pricked the voodoo doll again before the next pitch. With pinch-hitter George Valera standing in, Skubal bounced a wild pitch to bring in the tying run from third base. It was just his third wild pitch of the season. Skubal struck out Valera looking with the potential tying run at second, but with Ramírez dancing off second base, Skubal committed his second balk of his career to move him to third.

Skubal had become totally discombobulated. Discom-Skubalated.

Moving the runner within 90 feet of home was all the Guardians of Witchcraft needed. Gabriel Arias followed with a weak chopper to first and, even though the Tigers infield was playing in, Spencer Torkelson wasn't close enough to try a throw home with the contact play running.

The Guardians took a 3-2 lead despite four batters hitting the ball a combined 12 estimated feet. The only ball to leave the infield the entire inning was Skubal's long snap from hell.

No matter how great his career ends up, Skubal will have his pick of nightmare innings at Progressive Field. This one, or the fifth inning of Game 5 of the 2024 ALDS when Lane Thomas hit the grand slam. Which one was worse?

Only the doll knows for sure.