What a ride it was for the 2024 Detroit Tigers, but many fans still wonder what could have been after watching their season come to an end in the fifth and deciding game of the American League Divisional Series against the A.L. Central Champion Cleveland Guardians.

After being blanked in Game 1 out in Cleveland, 7-0, the Tigers bounced back in Game 2 courtesy of another dominant start on the mound from Tarik Skubal and this late-inning blast from Kerry Carpenter:

In Game 3 back in Detroit, which was the first home playoff game at Comerica Park since 2014, the Tigers used more pitching brilliance from the bullpen and timely hitting to grab a second straight 3-0 lead and a 2-1 series lead:

Game 4 was a seesaw affair with teams exchanging leads in the latter innings that included big hits from Zach McKinstry and Wenceel Perez:

However, it would be the Guardians getting the last laugh as the Tigers were almost two innings away from an ALCS berth as the visitors would eventually scratch out a 5-4 win to take the series to the limit back in Cleveland.

In Game 5, Tarik Skubal got off to a dominant start shutting out the Guardians through the first four innings that allowed Detroit to take an early lead courtesy of Kerry Carpenter:

However, Skubal would run into his only bad inning of the postseason giving up five runs in the bottom of the fifth that included a grand slam, and the home team never looked back in a 7-3 victory and a date with the New York Yankees in the ALCS.

All things considered, many fans never expected the Tigers to be in this position this season, and now the attention shifts to the offseason and whether or not Chris Ilitch will open up the checkbook and spend a little more to help bolster the roster.

Only time will tell…..