'This is what you play for': Tigers, Guardians clash with division on line

First place in the American League Central is on the line as the Cleveland Guardians host the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday.

Tigers ace and reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal (13-5, 2.23 ERA) takes the mound opposite Guardians right-hander Gavin Williams (11-5, 3.06) in the three-game series opener.

It's a scenario that no one in either clubhouse thought would play out after Cleveland fell 15 1/2 games behind Detroit on July 8, but it's very real.

"We're going to carry a lot of momentum back home," Guardians catcher Austin Hedges said. "It's in our hands. We control our own destiny. If we win every game, we're in."

The Tigers (85-71) lead the defending Central champion Guardians (84-72) by one game with six to play. Also at stake is the head-to-head tiebreaker, which Cleveland would clinch with one win in the set.

"Our boys are going to be ready to play and we'd love to see as many fans as possible," Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. "I know these are school nights and I know people work, but we need to pack the place. We need our fans.

"It's going to be a lot of fun this week."

Both teams will also be keeping an eye on the Boston Red Sox (85-71) and Houston Astros (84-72), who are with them in a four-team scrum that will see three advance to the postseason.

Boston currently sits second in the AL wild-card hunt and Cleveland holds the third spot via a tiebreaker over Houston.

Despite the Tigers going 0-6 on its just-completed homestand against the Guardians and Atlanta Braves, Detroit manager A.J. Hinch sees the glass as more than half-full.

"We're going to wake up tomorrow in first place with our destiny controlled by us against a team that's been as hot as you can be in baseball," said Hinch, whose squad has lost nine of its last 10 overall. "And we get to play them in a three-game series? Sign me up."

Cleveland has won 10 of its last 11, fueled by an incredible run by the six-man rotation of Williams, Tanner Bibee, Parker Messick, Joey Cantillo, Slade Cecconi and Logan Allen.

Williams will seek to extend their franchise-record streak of 17 straight starts without allowing more than three runs.

Known as the "Big Rig," the 6-foot-6, 250-pounder has been brilliant in two starts against Detroit this season with 11 scoreless innings and a 1-0 record.

Williams is 2-2 with a 1.67 ERA in six career outings against the Tigers.

"I'm going to remind everybody that we're a first-place team," Hinch said. "I know it's hard for everybody to look at us that way because of the way the last week went."

Skubal, who again is one of the top candidates for the Cy Young Award, has arguably been even better than Williams in his three starts in the season series, with a 0.41 ERA and 1-0 mark.

The left-hander has struck out 32 and walked just two over 22 innings against Cleveland in 2025, making him 3-2 with a 2.40 ERA in 11 career regular-season games versus the Indians/Guardians.

Skubal also started twice against Cleveland in last year's AL Division Series won by the Guardians in five games, and went 0-1 with a 3.46 ERA.

"This is what it's all about. This is what you play for," Detroit first baseman Spencer Torkelson said.

"Obviously, this isn't what we expected, but I have all the faith in the world in this team."

--Field Level Media