If someone told you around spring training that three of the final four teams in the American League playoffs would all come from the same division, which division would you think they would come from?
The AL East was probably the most popular choice. The New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles were gearing up for great seasons. One of the Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays or Tampa Bay Rays may have found a way to sneak into October.
Or maybe your mind traveled to the other side of the country and you were thinking about the American League West. After all, the Texas Rangers were the reigning World Series champions, the Houston Astros were strong, and the Seattle Mariners boasted a great starting rotation.
Did anyone expect the AL Central?
Certainly, the Cleveland Guardians, it was possible.
But what about the Kansas City Royals? Detroit Tigers?
Leave it to the Wild Cards to create a wild postseason in the AL. The Royals and their emerging superstar, Bobby Witt Jr., will try to take on the heavily favored New York Yankees. In the other ALDS matchup, the Detroit Tigers will face a familiar foe in the division champion Guardians.
Which team will advance to the ALCS? As this past month has proven, anything can happen.
Series No. 1: Kansas City Royals vs. New York Yankees
August 4, 2024. Bronx, New York, USA. New York Yankees left fielder Aaron Judge, 99, hits a single in the bottom of the third inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium. Required Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports It’s safe to say that many casual baseball fans will be rooting for big loser Kansas City, a team few expected to make any noise this season. It was just last year that the Royals finished last in the division with 56 wins and 106 losses. The odds of success are low, which could work in the Royals’ favor. That means there’s zero pressure to win this series. No one thought they would come here. You can relax and play freely.
That being said, there are reasons why the Yankees are supported. They won the division over the Orioles with a record of 94 wins and 68 losses, and scored the third most points (815 points) among baseball teams. By comparison, the Royals finished 13th in the major leagues with 735 RBIs.
A big factor in the Yankees’ success on offense is Aaron Judge. The 9-foot-4, 576-pound slugger batted .322 with 58 home runs, 144 RBIs, and a .701 slugging percentage this season (actual numbers, not estimates!). Teammate Juan Soto looked inferior in comparison, despite batting .288 with 41 home runs and 109 RBIs.
Yes, the Royals have a little magic. And Vinny Pascantino. But that’s where their story ends, and there’s no shame in losing to the Big Apple’s big hitters.
Prediction: Yankees 4th place
Series No. 2: Detroit Tigers vs. Cleveland Guardians
September 4, 2024. Kansas City, Missouri, USA. Cleveland Guardians left fielder Stephen Kwan, 38, stands at bat in the eighth inning of a game against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Required Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images Remember those old parody videos that aimed to satirically promote Cleveland tourism? They always ended with the punchline, “We’re not Detroit!”
By the way, these videos are still funny. definitely worth it Falling down the YouTube rabbit hole To find out.
Either way, the punchline won’t be the same as before. That’s especially true in baseball, where the Tigers are a year ahead of schedule and may have more positive momentum than any team left in the playoffs.
On Sept. 6, the Tigers were up 71-71 and the postseason looked like a 2025 goal. However, Detroit won 15 of the next 18 games to earn a ticket to the playoffs, and AJ “Clinch” led the team to victory. They took on Houston and promptly knocked out the Astros on their home field in the wild card round.
It’s fair to point out that the Guardians are on a roll, winning the AL Central Division by 6 1/2 games over Detroit and Kansas City. Jose Ramirez was a great hitter who finished the season with 39 home runs, Josh Naylor added 31 bombs, and Tanner Bibby and Ben Lively had solid seasons on the mound.
But the Tigers’ recent rise is too strong to ignore.
Sorry, Cleveland, you’re not Detroit.
Prediction: Tigers Year 5
