The Tigers secure the most unlikely playoff spot with victory over the White Sox

DETROIT – How did the Detroit Tigers do it? This question has been on our minds for most of September. What started as a happy story, a team with whimsical dreams of achieving the impossible, slowly turned into reality and tangible possibility this month. On Friday at Comerica Park, the Tigers defeated the Chicago White Sox 4-1 to complete the sweep.

As of August 10, the Tigers' playoff odds had dropped to 0.2 percent, according to Fangraphs. They were 10 games out of a playoff spot. No team has faced such a daunting surge in MLB's Wild Card era. In MLB history, the 1973 Mets are the only other team to have eight games under .500 in August and appear in the postseason.

Thanks to a 31-11 record since August 13, the Tigers have now made their mark in this history. They accomplished this despite only having two healthy starters left after the trade deadline. But manager AJ Hinch, in his fourth season with Detroit, played mixed games, playing bullpen games that he called “group performance days” when the Tigers asked young, unheralded pitchers like Brant Hurter to pitch more than four innings at a time. Piggybacked by openers like Tyler Holton and Beau Brieske.

The Tigers also made a remarkable comeback despite having seven players in rookie positions on their roster. Although Cy Young favorite Tarik Skubal paved the way to many wins and outfielder Riley Greene developed into a full-fledged All-Star, the majority of the Tigers' roster is made up of young grinders and hard-hitting utility players. However, the Tigers improved their defense and baserunning in the second half. Bolstered largely by a patchwork pitching staff with an MLB-best ERA over the last two months, the Tigers found ways to get out of deficits, win close games and gain small advantages at the rim.

Less than two months ago, a franchise enduring a decade-long playoff drought seemed destined to spend consecutive October 11ths at home. Instead, fate, luck and fortitude led the Tigers on a rapid run that now culminates in a champagne celebration.

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