It seems the 2007 Mets might soon be overshadowed by the 2025 Tigers.
Detroit is experiencing one of the worst collapses in MLB history, with just four games left in the regular season. What was once a surprising scenario of potentially missing the playoffs has now become all too clear.
The Tigers (85-73) have seen their lead evaporate against the Guardians in July’s division race, which could become the largest collapse in MLB history unless they manage to turn things around, as noted by ESPN.
“It’s painful,” remarked Tigers manager AJ Hinch following Wednesday’s 5-1 loss to the Guardians. “I’m struggling to find the words. I know that might not be typical, but what our team is going through—it’s just not normal. Yet, here we are.”
Once seen as a strong contender for the playoffs, the Tigers now find themselves teetering on the brink after losing 11 out of their last 12 games.
Their downward spiral has been so drastic that at this point, the Mets seem like child’s play in comparison.
Detroit spent 184 days at the top, even exceeding a 25-game lead on August 23rd and consistently staying above .500. Now, they’re chasing the Guardians by a game in the AL Central, with Cleveland holding the tiebreaker.
There was a time when the Tigers were ahead by 15.5 games when the Guardians had a 42-48 record until July 8th, while Detroit’s record stood at 59-34.
In fact, Cleveland was playing catch-up, trailing by 10.5 games just before embarking on a remarkable 12-1 stretch.
The Guardians have managed to take all five games against Detroit in the past two weeks and are primed for a sweep Thursday night.
ESPN points out that the 1978 Red Sox had the largest division lead (14 games), a record they squandered, and now the Tigers find themselves needing outside assistance to avoid making the wrong kind of history.
“You just can’t wrap your head around it,” said Tigers starter Jack Flaherty. “You keep moving forward. The Guardians have been playing some of the best baseball I’ve seen in September. They’re getting the job done, while we seem to be falling short.”
“Right now, we need to step up, compete, and show some fight. We’re not doing that effectively, and something’s got to spark us.”
The Tigers and Guardians will conclude their season series on Thursday. Following that, Detroit will head to Fenway Park for a weekend matchup against the Red Sox, which could turn into an elimination series for both teams.
Meanwhile, the Guardians will finish the season against the Rangers.
What once seemed like a promising season has quickly turned into a struggle for survival.
Forget the Mets’ seven-game lead back in 2007 with 17 games to go. This Tigers team is experiencing an entirely different kind of suffocation.
