CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Guardians and Tigers are both trying to convince everyone this is still just a friendly rivalry. But deep down, the Tigers might know better.
Since clinching a division title at Comerica Park in 2016, Cleveland has been the roadblock that Detroit can’t quite get past. The Tigers made noise with a late playoff push last season, and have led the American League Central Division for most of this season. But when it mattered most — last October — the Guardians sent them home in a five-game Division Series.
Detroit hasn’t forgotten, and that’s why this September surge by Cleveland has the Tigers wary ahead of a pivotal three-game series at Progressive Field. The two clubs are back where they always seem to meet: staring each other down with the AL Central hanging in the balance.
“We’re super familiar with each other,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said before Tuesday’s opener. “We just played four or five days ago — not a whole lot has changed — and here we go.”
The schedule has lined up perfectly. The winner of this week’s series will be in the driver’s seat for the division with three games left in the regular season. Cleveland trails Detroit by a single game. It’s the kind of stage Vogt believes his players have been preparing for since last October.
“Everybody has playoff experience,” Vogt said. “This whole month has kind of felt like playoffs. The belief and confidence these guys are showing up with — that’s what you need in these types of games. There’s no pressure. Go have fun and play baseball. That’s how we’ve gotten here, and it doesn’t change now.”
Tigers manager A.J. Hinch revealed to reporters Tuesday just how much Cleveland still lingers in Detroit’s mind.
“We know these guys so well. We’ve played them in big moments,” Hinch said. “Last year when the season ended for us, Vogter was the first one I went to give him a hug and tell him congratulations. So it’s his turn to congratulate me with things going better this year for us.”
Don’t expect Cleveland to let its guard down. Vogt said the Guardians know Detroit’s roster, they know their tendencies, and they’ve already proven they can handle them when the lights are bright.
Vogt calls the rivalry “friendly,” but that friendliness only goes so far once the first pitch is thrown.
“We get along with their staff, they’ve got good people over there,” Vogt said. “But it comes down to execution. Nobody’s caught off guard in this matchup. It’s just about who shows up and plays the best baseball. That’s what makes this so fun.”
Veteran catcher Austin Hedges said the rivalry has grown into something special because of the stakes.
“It’s just been fun,” Hedges said. “They’re such a good team, and what they’ve done to get better this year — hats off. But we feel blessed to be in this position, too. And we know what we can do against them.”
The Tigers have their sights set on shifting the balance of power in the division, but Cleveland is charging hard in the rearview mirror. The Guardians have been here before, and they know how to finish.
Six games. One division. And a rivalry that’s friendly — until it isn’t.
Generative AI was used to organize information for this story based on information provided by cleveland.com.
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.