Detroit manager A.J. Hinch knows the Tigers' 4-2 win over Cleveland Thursday night counts as only one game in the standings.
However, the victory gave the Tigers plenty of momentum going into the final series of the regular season.
All even atop the AL East with three games to go. That means the division title will be determined this weekend by how the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees handle a pair of also-rans.
The Ryder Cup has become everything golf typically is not. The slow-moving sport features relentless action from the opening tee shot at 7:10 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 26, and it doesn't stop (except for darkness) until the United States or Europe gets enough points to win after the singles matches on Sunday afternoon.
For a frightening moment, the AL Central race hardly mattered. Guardians designated hitter David Fry was expected to be hospitalized overnight after he was hit in the face by a pitch from Detroit's Tarik Skubal in the sixth inning of Cleveland's 5-2 win over the Tigers on Tuesday night, a victory that deadlocked the division.
Quarterback Drew Brees and receiver Larry Fitzgerald were picked in their first year of eligibility as two of the nominees among modern era players for the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame class.