Who Will Win the AL Central; White Sox or Tigers?

Today’s community question centers on the American League Central division, which seems to come down the wire each and every season. This year has been no different, as the Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers are locked in a heated battle for the top spot.

Entering the season, many expected the Tigers to simply run away with the division. This just hasn’t happened, and they continue to look up at the White Sox in the standings. Entering play today, Detroit trails Chicago by one game.

As the season nears its end, winning the Central becomes that much more important because, at this point, the team that fails to take home the title will not be making the postseason.

Each team has twenty games remaining. Beyond their makeup of yesterday’s postponed contest against the White Sox, the Tigers only have one series remaining against a team with a record above .500, as they host the Oakland Athletics early next week. Their remaining contests come against non-White Sox AL Central opponents; the Cleveland Indians, Minnesota Twins and Kansas City Royals.

The White Sox, on the other hand, have two series remaining against playoff hopefuls, the Los Angeles Angels and Tampa Bay Rays. Their other four series come against the Indians, Twins and Royals.