Weeks of successes by the Cleveland Guardians coupled with struggles by the Detroit Tigers have come down to this final week of the season, with the division rivals clashing with the American League Central division at stake.
And now the race is dead even.
The Guardians wiped away a two-run deficit and turned the tables on the Tigers and their ace Tarik Skubal with an action-packed three-run sixth inning en route to a 5-2 win.
Cleveland starter Gavin Williams arguably matched Skubal’s dominance, throwing six innings, allowing two runs on four hits and two walks while tying a career-high with 12 strikeouts. Skubal was the hard-luck loser, going six innings with one earned run on four hits, three walks and eight strikeouts.
The Guardians and Tigers are now tied at 85-72, but Cleveland’s win gives them the season series and tiebreaker.
Here’s how it all went down:
Final: Guardians 5, Tigers 2
Cleveland wins the series opener, which allows the Guardians to seize the season series against their AL Central rival. And that’s especially important considering the Guards and Tigers are tied in the standings.
Tigers ninth inning
Cade Smith on to pitch for Guardians.
Riley Greene struck out swinging. 1 out.
Dillon Dingler struck out looking. 2 outs.
Zach McKinstry lined out to third base. 3 outs.
Guardians eighth inning
Cleveland got a two-out single from speedy Petey Halpin but left him stranded. That brings the Tigers up with one last chance at romance, and it will come against closer Cade Smith. Score: Guardians 5, Tigers 2.
Tigers eighth inning
Hunter Gaddis struck out the first two batters he saw before allowing a two-out single to Kerry Carpenter. But Gaddis struck out Spencer Torkelson after that to give Guardians pitchers 17 strikeouts on the night. Score: Guardians 5, Tigers 2.
Guardians add on in seventh
Cleveland has opened up a 5-2 lead after scoring twice more in the seventh. And the whole rally came with two outs.
With Skubal out of the game, reliever Tommy Kahnle struck out the first two batters he faced before walking Austin Hedges. Kahnle was then relieved by Kyle Finnegan, who promptly allowed an opposite-field double to Steve Kwan before pinch-hitter Daniel Schneemann roped a two-run single to left. Finnegan retired Jose Ramirez on a well-struck fly ball to left center. Score: Guardians 5, Tigers 2.
Tigers seventh inning
On for Gavin Williams, Erik Sabrowski nearly had an immaculate inning, striking out Zach McKinstry and Wenceel Perez on six pitches. Pinch-hitter Andy Ibanez ended the inning with a flyout to left. Score: Guardians 3, Tigers 2.
David Fry hit in face
During the sixth inning, with runners at first and second and no one out, Guardians designated hitter David Fry squared to bunt on a 2-2 pitch from Tigers starter Tarik Skubal. The ball missed Fry’s bat entirely and struck him in the face. Fry immediately held his face and went to the ground.
A deafening silence fell over the crowd. Fry was eventually able to stand on his own, but he was carted off the field to a rousing ovaction from the Cleveland crowd.
Guards Ball strikes again
The Guardians aren’t only on the scoreboard, but now they have a 3-2 lead. And they did so without ever hitting the ball out of the infield.
Steven Kwan started the sixth with a perfect bunt single off the plate. Angel Martinez followed with a bunt of his own, pushed down the first-base line. Rather than field the ball and eat it, Tarik Skubal tried to toss the ball to first through his legs, granny style. The ball sailed over Spencer Torkelson’s head and allowed Kwan to go to third and Martinez to second. Jose Ramirez followed with a tapper to third baseman Zach McKinstry, who could do nothing but pocket it. The infield single scored Kwan and got Martinez to third.
After a lengthy delay following a horrific injury to Guardians DH David Fry, Skubal uncorked a wild pitch that scored Martinez and put Ramirez at second. After Fry’s replacement, George Valera, struck out, Skubal balked Ramirez to third base before Gabriel Arias got him home with a groundout.
Just an amazing turn of events. Score: Guardians 3, Tigers 2.
Tigers sixth inning
Gavin Williams struck out the side in the sixth, but Riley Greene’s homer was wedged in there to give Detroit a 2-0 lead. Williams has 12 strikeouts in six innings. Score: Tigers 2, Guardians 0.
Riley Greene home run
The Tigers have increased their lead to 2-0 in the sixth inning after Riley Greene ripped his 35th homer of the season. Score: Tigers 2, Guardians 0.
Guardians fifth inning
Cleveland threatened in the fifth, breaking Tarik Skubal’s string of setting down nine consecutive batters when Kyle Manzardo hit a one-out double. Jhonkensy Noel followed with a walk, but Skubal settled in and struck out Brayan Rocchio on four pitches before getting Austin Hedges to ground into an inning-ended fielder’s choice. Score: Tigers 1, Guardians 0.
Tigers fifth inning
Gavin Williams had a much-needed bounceback inning, setting down the Tigers in order on eight pitches.
Trey Sweeney grounded out to first base on the first pitch he saw and Parker Meadows followed with a groundout to short. Then Williams made Gleyber Torres his ninth strikeout victim. Score: Tigers 1, Guardians 0.
Guardians fourth inning
It seems safe to say that Tarik Skubal has found his rhythm.
Skubal made quick work of the Guardians in the fourth, setting down Angel Martinez, Jose Ramirez and David Fry in order. Since allowing a walk to start the second inning, Skubal has retired eight in a row. Score: Tigers 1, Guardians 0.
Tigers fourth inning
The Tigers were threatening to break this one open in the fourth, but Gavin Williams worked out of it.
After striking out Kerry Carpenter to lead off the inning, Williams loaded the bases by walking Spencer Torkelson on five pitches, allowing an infield single to Riley Greene and then walking Dillon Dingler. That brought up Zach McKinstry, who doubled and scored in the second inning. McKinstry worked the count full before striking out swinging, then Wenceel Perez struck out swinging on a curveball in the dirt.
Williams has eight strikeouts, but Detroit drove his pitch count up to 69.
Guardians third inning
Tarik Skubal had his first clean inning in the third, retiring Brayan Rocchio on a groundout, Austin Hedges on a broken-bat flyout and he struck out Steven Kwan on three consecutive pitches. Score: Tigers 1, Guardians 0.
Tigers third inning
Detroit could only muster one run despite opening the inning with back-to-back doubles. Gavin Williams bounced back to strike out Trey Sweeney, get Parker Meadows to fly out to deep center and Gleyber Torres to fly out to right. Score: Tigers 1, Guardians 0.
Tigers score first
After retiring the first six batters in order, Gavin Williams allowed back-to-back doubles to Zach McKinstry and Wenceel Perez to get Detroit on the scoreboard first. Tigers are up 1-0 with a runner at second and no one out.
Guardians second inning
Gabriel Arias led off the bottom of the second with a seven-pitch walk, but he was then promptly picked off first base by catcher Dillon Dingler. Tarik Skubal then struck out Kyle Manzardo and Jhonkensy Noel (aka Big Christmas) to finish the second inning. Score: Guardians 0, Tigers 0.
Tigers second inning
Gavin Williams had another 1-2-3 inning, getting Spencer Torkelson on strikes, Riley Greene on a ground out to second, and Dillon Dingler to strikeout for his fourth K of the game. Score: Tigers 0, Guardians 0.
Guardians first inning
After a leadoff fly out by Steve Kwan, Angel Martinez reached on a bloop infield single to short and Jose Ramirez walked on four pitches to put Cleveland runners on first and second. But then Tarik Skubal got DH David Fry to roll into a 5-4-3 double play to end the threat. Score: Guardians 0, Tigers 0.
Tigers first inning
Gavin Williams had a 1-2-3 top of the first for the Guardians, getting Parker Meadows to open with a fly out to left field, and then striking out Gleyber Torres and Kerry Carpenter. Score: Tigers 0, Guardians coming to bat.
How to watch Tigers vs Guardians
Date: Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025
Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
Where: Progressive Field in Cleveland
TV: FOX Sports Detroit, CLEGuardians.TV
Stream: Fubo
Stream Tigers vs. Guardians with Fubo
Cleveland weather
The game time temperature is 72 degrees with clear skies at Progressive Field in downtown Cleveland.
Tigers vs Guardians season series
Fresh off its three-game sweep last week in Comerica Park, Cleveland owns a 6-4 record against Detroit in 2025. That means one more victory will ensure the Guardians win the season series, and thus the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Gavin Williams stats
In his first full season in the Guardians’ rotation, Gavin Williams has emerged as the team’s ace with an 11-5 record and 3.06 ERA in 161⅔ innings pitched. He does, however, lead the league with 81 walks.
Williams has only allowed more than two earned runs once in six starts dating back to Aug. 14. He’s faced the Tigers twice this season and has not yielded a run in 11 innings with 17 strikeouts.
Tigers’ Javier Baez scratched
Flashy shortstop Javier Baez was originally in Detroit’s starting lineup, playing shortstop and batting ninth. But the team announced Baez has been scratched with neck stiffness, and Trey Sweeney will take his place.
Baez, 32, has enjoyed a bounceback season that included an appearance at the All-Star Game in Atlanta. He’s hitting .252 with 11 homers and 52 RBI, and his .670 OPS is his best since 2022, his first season in Motown.
Tarik Skubal stats
The Tigers’ ace and reigning American League Cy Young Award winner is having another steller season, posting a 13-5 record with a 2.23 ERA and 0.88 WHIP, both AL bests.
In three starts this season against the Guardians, Skubal has gone 1-0 with a 0.41 ERA and 32 strikeouts with only two walks in 22 innings pitched.
September has been the worst month of his season, as Skubal has posted a 2.76 ERA in three starts.
Tigers vs Guardians starting pitchers
Detroit — LHP, Tarik Skubal: 13-5, 2.23 ERA in 30 starts (189⅓ innings pitched)
Cleveland — RHP, Gavin Williams: 11-5, 3.06 ERA in 30 starts (161⅔ innings pitched)
Tigers vs Guardians starting lineups
Detroit Tigers starting lineup
Parker Meadows, CF
Gleyber Torres, 2B
Kerry Carpenter, DH
Spencer Torkelson, 1B
Riley Greene, LF
Dillon Dingler, C
Wenceel Perez, RF
Zach McKinstry, 3B
Javier Baez, SS
Cleveland Guardians starting lineup
Steven Kwan, LF
Angel Martinez, CF
Jose Ramirez, 3B
David Fry, DH
Gabriel Arias, SS
Kyle Manzardo, 1B
Jhonkensy Noel, RF
Brayan Rocchio, 2B
Austin Hedges, C
Tigers, Guardians remaining schedules
Detroit Tigers
Sep. 23: @ Cleveland, 6:40 p.m. ET
Sep. 24: @ Cleveland, 6:40 p.m. ET
Sep. 25: @ Cleveland, 6:40 p.m. ET
Sep. 26: @ Boston, 7:10 p.m. ET
Sep. 27: @ Boston, 4:10 p.m. ET
Sep. 28: @ Boston, 3:05 p.m. ET
Cleveland Guardians
Sep. 23: vs. Detroit, 6:40 p.m. ET
Sep. 24: vs. Detroit, 6:40 p.m. ET
Sep. 25: vs. Detroit, 6:40 p.m. ET
Sep. 26: vs. Texas, 7:10 p.m. ET
Sep. 27: vs. Texas, 7:15 p.m. ET
Sep. 28: vs. Texas, 3:10 p.m. ET
MLB playoff picture
If the season ended today, this would be the playoff seeding (* – clinched playoff berth):
American League
*Toronto Blue Jays (90-66)
Seattle Mariners (87-69)
Detroit Tigers (85-71)
New York Yankees (88-68)
Boston Red Sox (84-72)
Cleveland Guardians (84-72) – tiebreaker over Houston Astros
National League
*Milwaukee Brewers (95-62)
*Philadelphia Phillies (92-64)
*Los Angeles Dodgers (88-68)
*Chicago Cubs (88-68)
*San Diego Padres (86-71)
Cincinnati Reds (90-76) – tiebreaker over New York Mets
