There is a certain amount of respect that is shared between MLB rivals who play in the same division. When those teams wind up meeting in the playoffs, the intensity goes up even further.
Last season, after a historic pennant race, the Cleveland Guardians snatched the AL Central title away from the Detroit Tigers. As a result, the teams wound up facing each other in the AL Wild Card round, with all of the games played at Progressive Field.
Tigers ace Tarik Skubal was Detroit’s Game 1 starter, and months later, the two-time AL Cy Young Award winner was still gushing about the Guardians’ fans and the atmosphere they created.
“I mean, that [Guardians] environment, too. Hats off to those fans. That place was rocking. That place was buzzing. That was a really good environment for a postseason game, and we played in Houston, too. I thought Cleveland was the better environment,” Skubal said.
Has any division rival crushed on Cleveland as hard as Tarik Skubal?
“Houston was loud… but I thought Cleveland was better environment” https://t.co/i2M91CliC3 pic.twitter.com/fbqIQp1wLY
— DollarDog Nick (@DollarDogNick) March 16, 2026
Matched up against Cleveland ace Gavin Williams, Skubal and the Tigers won a tight, 2-1 series opener. After Cleveland won Game 2, Detroit took the series and advanced with a Game 3 victory.
It was a measure of revenge for the Tigers over the Guardians, who trailed Detroit by as many as 15.5 games in the standings during the season and by 11 games in September before rallying to win the division. In 2024, the Tigers swept the Houston Astros on the road to win that AL Wild Card series, with Skubal winning Game 1.
Hopefully, this season brings more of the same excitement for both the Guardians and the Tigers, though each is facing some notable obstacles. Cleveland is projected to fall well short of the postseason this year, based on some perceived holes in the lineup and a possible regression of the pitching staff. Meanwhile, Skubal is eligible to become a free agent after this season, which will not only serve as a daily distraction for the Tigers but could also result in their best player being traded away prior to the deadline.
It is highly unlikely that the Guardians would ever spend what will be necessary to land Skubal, but based on his comments about their fans and ballpark, they can perhaps dream about acquiring him and adding a huge new layer to the rivalry.
NEXT: Pat McAfee Says Guardians Pitching Prospect Is A 'Menace'
