Detroit Tigers Trying to Make History as Unlikely Playoff Push Continues

Despite being eight games under .500 as recently as Aug. 10, the Detroit Tigers have surged back into the AL Wild Card race and could join the 1973 New York Mets in the history books.

Sep 18, 2024; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Detroit Tigers left fielder Riley Greene (31) reacts after hitting a solo home run in the third inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. / Peter Aiken-Imagn Images

As recently as Aug. 10, the Detroit Tigers' season was virtually dead in the water.

The team stood at 55-63, 10.0 games back in the AL Wild Card race. FanGraphs gave Detroit just a 0.2% chance to make the postseason, which was tied for the 11th-best odds in the American League.

Not even six weeks later, the Tigers are alive and more than well.

Detroit is 25-10 over its last 35 games, far and away the best record in the league in that span. Now boasting an 80-73 record on the season, the Tigers are just 0.5 games behind the Minnesota Twins for the third and final AL Wild Card spot.

According to OptaSTATS, there has only ever been one MLB team that made the playoffs in a non-shortened season after being eight-plus games under .500 in August or later. The New York Mets achieved the feat back in 1973, but no one else before or since has successfully posted that kind of turnaround.

The @tigers were 55-63 at the end of play on August 10. They are now 80-73 and a half-game out of a playoff spot.

The only MLB team ever to make the playoffs in a non-shortened season after being 8+ games under .500 in August or later was the Mets in 1973. pic.twitter.com/gOlgnvLQU9

— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) September 19, 2024

The Tigers will have to finish strong in order to join the Mets in the history books, considering FanGraphs still only gives them a 36.8% chance of sneaking into the postseason. While it is a massive improvement on where they stood a month ago, it is far from a sure thing.

Outside of jumping Minnesota, Detroit will also be tasked with fending off the Boston Red Sox and Seattle Mariners down the stretch.

Sweeping the Kansas City Royals this week was a good start, and that energy will have to carry into the Tigers' upcoming road series with the Baltimore Orioles if their playoff hopes are going to live another day. Detroit already took two out of three against the Orioles last weekend, so another series victory isn't out of the question.

First pitch for Friday's opener is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. ET.

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