The White Sox had Cleveland on the ropes, and for a moment it looked like the ALDS was about to turn into the exact kind of short, brutal nightmare the Guardians normally inflict on everybody else.
Chicago jumped out to a 2-0 series lead, and it was happening in the most Chicago-in-the-postseason way possible: endless bullpen games, barely enough offense, and just enough grit to make the whole thing feel real. For two games, it worked. Cleveland’s so-called devil magic looked dormant, and the lesser of two evils in this matchup was obvious for anyone around the AL Central.
Then José Ramírez showed up.
He had been quiet through the first two games and much of the regular season, but in Game 3 he finally got going with his first hit of the postseason, a double in the top of the fifth. From there, the switch flipped. Ramírez became the kind of postseason problem the Tigers know all too well.
Cleveland’s bats came alive in Games 3 and 4, piling up nine runs in each game while Chicago managed only three and five. Even with their season hanging by a thread, the White Sox pitching staff kept hanging around and allowed just two runs at one point, but that still wasn’t enough to slow what was coming next. Gavin Williams took a no-hitter into the sixth, and then Ramírez delivered the swing that made the whole thing feel inevitable.
JOSÉ RAMÍREZ!
GUARDIANS TAKE THE FIRST LEAD OF GAME 5! pic.twitter.com/Z0zoqm513R
- MLB (@MLB) October 11, 2026
According to Sarah Langs, the pitch Ramírez hit was only 0.74 feet off the ground. That made it the lowest pitch hit for a home run in the postseason since tracking began in 2008.
That’s the kind of thing you just file under devil magic.
Tigers fans have seen enough of this movie to know how it ends. They finally beat Cleveland last season, erasing the sting of the 2024 ALDS with a Wild Card win in 2025.
Doing it on the road only made it sweeter, especially with the Tigers celebrating on the field at Progressive and Cleveland posting a “Congratulations, Tigers” graphic on its jumbotron. Midwest nice, indeed.
But there was nothing charming about watching the Guardians claw all the way back and watching the White Sox let it happen. Chicago had the series in its hands and couldn’t close the door.
The Rays were the winningest team in the American League this year, so the hope now is that they do what the White Sox couldn’t.
Then again, with the Guardians, you never really know.
In Other News...
Dodgers Collapse Is Making The Tarik Skubal Trade Look Better
The Dodgers postseason stumble has added a fresh layer to one of the more interesting trade conversations of the year. After dropping Game 2 of the NLCS to the Brewers and falling behind in the series, their offense is under a brighter spotlight, and the deal for Tarik Skubal is looking less like a shortcut to October comfort and more like a move that still has to be measured against what actually happened on the field.
For the Tigers, the timing only sharpens the return-on-investment debate. Milwaukee is winning without Skubal, and his brief outing in Game 1 did not change the shape of the series the way a front-office bet like that is supposed to, which leaves Detroit with the kind of leverage every seller wants and every contender hopes to avoid having to explain. [Read more 🡒]
Riley Greene Extension Talk Suddenly Looks More Complicated For Tigers
Riley Greene has become the clearest success story among Detroits recent first-round draft picks, the kind of homegrown hitter teams usually want to lock up before the market gets too expensive. By 2026, he had already built a rsum that includes three All-Star nods and a Silver Slugger, while continuing to provide the sort of offensive production that keeps him at the center of the Tigers future plans.
But the extension conversation is not as straightforward as it once looked. Greenes improved plate discipline helps his case, yet questions about his defense and health have not gone away, and those concerns can change the tone of long-term talks quickly. Tigers executive Scott Harris declined to discuss any potential deal, and Greene may also be wary of limiting his free agency during what should be the prime of his career. [Read more 🡒]
Casey Mize May Have Priced Himself Out Of A Tigers Reunion
Casey Mizes path back to Detroit now looks a lot less straightforward than it did a few months ago. After the Tigers dealt him to San Diego at the trade deadline, the right-handers season turned uneven enough to leave the market watching closely, while Detroit moved into the offseason with a clear need to reshape its rotation and enough financial flexibility to shop aggressively.
Mizes profile has only made the decision trickier for the Tigers. The club is expected to pursue other starting pitchers in free agency, and if his asking price climbs into a range that stretches beyond what Detroit wants to commit, a reunion starts to feel more like a long shot than a natural fit. For a team trying to turn pitching depth into a strength, the question is no longer just whether Mize can help, but whether he now fits the budget well enough to come back. [Read more 🡒]