For nearly a decade, the American League Central Division seemed like a rec league in slow-pitch softball while the rest of the teams slugged it out for the competitive crown.
Composed mostly of small- and mid-market clubs, the Central Division has consistently been overmatched against the top teams in the other two divisions. None of the five teams have made a World Series appearance since 2016, when the then-Cleveland Indians fell to the Chicago Cubs in a seven-game thriller.
As last season progressed, there was a noticeable shift in the American League dynamic. The lightweights started to flex their muscles while some of the teams in the East and West sagged.
All but one of the Central clubs finished with a winning record, and three qualified for the postseason. Of course, it helped that they fattened their records against the pathetic, 121-loss Chicago White Sox. Yet three of the four teams left standing by the AL Division Series came from the suddenly respectable Central.
With nearly 60 games gone in this year’s schedule, it’s apparent that the Central can stake a very different claim — the best division in the league.
The White Sox are still lousy, but not quite the punching bag they were last season. Meanwhile, all of their Central Division mates are above the .500 mark.
The Detroit Tigers, who made a stunning surge to a playoff berth last season, are challenging for the best record in either league. The always pesky Guardians, Minnesota Twins and Kansas City Royals are all jockeying for position in the second spot while hoping the Tigers come crashing back to Earth.
Don’t bet on the latter. They have Godzilla — left-handed monster and reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal — towering over a formidable starting staff and a deep bullpen.
In fact, that’s where the Central Division has caught up with the rest of MLB. The Tigers, Royals and Twins rank among the top five in ERA.
Detroit’s batting order is anchored by power-hitting outfielder Riley Greene, but its overall strength is manager A.J. Hinch’s ability to maneuver his right-handed and left-handed hitters to obtain the best matchups. The Tigers are among the top five in runs scored.
Greene epitomizes why the division has suddenly muscled up. He was the fifth pick in the 2019 draft.
Kansas City’s superstar shortstop, Bobby Witt Jr., was selected three picks ahead of him. Minnesota’s promising rookie infielder, Brooks Lee, was the eighth pick of the 2022 draft.
The lean years for those teams led to high picks in the draft, allowing them to stockpile talent and overcome the fact that they can’t spend like the New York Yankees, Texas Rangers or Boston Red Sox.
The Guardians are an anomaly compared to the rest of the division. Until 2024, when they had the top selection, the Guardians hadn’t had a top-10 pick since 2013.
They don’t spend heavily, yet they’ve posted winning records in 10 of the last 12 seasons. José Ramírez, arguably the league’s most underappreciated superstar, has a lot to do with it. Ramírez has scored over 100 runs four times, hit 29 or more homers five times, driven in more than 100 runs four times and — at age 31 last season — swiped a career-high 41 bases.
A World Series appearance by the Tigers or one of their Central Division rivals would validate the resurgence of this division. It’s now clear that these teams — with one glaring exception — are no longer pushovers.
