Detroit Tigers' Division Finishes Since 1998

Since joining the AL Central in 1998, the Detroit Tigers have finished in every position in the division, from first to fifth.

I went ahead and did some research to break down exactly how many times the Tigers have finished in first, second, third, fourth and fifth place in the division.

In 1998, the Detroit Tigers left the AL East and joined the AL Central. At the same time, the Milwaukee Brewers left the AL Central to join the NL Central. That move helped establish the five-team AL Central that we know today, consisting of the Tigers, Cleveland Guardians, Minnesota Twins, Kansas City Royals and Chicago White Sox.

The Tigers struggled in their new division during the early years, going nearly a decade without breaking through as a serious contender. Comerica Park opened in 2000, just two years after Detroit joined the AL Central, as the franchise began a new chapter in its history.

The Tigers finally broke through in 2006, leading the division for much of the season before ultimately surrendering first place to the Minnesota Twins in the final week. Detroit still finished second, earning a wild-card berth and reaching the postseason for the first time since 1987. It also marked the first time since joining the division that the Tigers had finished in the top two.

Detroit's first AL Central title came in 2011, 13 years after joining the division. Once the Tigers finally broke through and won the division, they weren't ready to give it up. Detroit went on to win four consecutive division titles from 2011 through 2014.

Unfortunately, the Tigers have not won the AL Central since that four-year stretch. Detroit came close to reclaiming the division title last season before another September collapse allowed Cleveland to make a historic run and take the crown.

Across their 29 seasons in the AL Central, the Tigers have finished in the top two in 10 seasons, a rate of approximately 35%.

Detroit has finished in the bottom three in the other 19 seasons, including six third-place finishes, five fourth-place finishes and eight fifth-place finishes.

That means the Tigers have finished last in the division eight times since 1998, highlighting just how inconsistent the franchise has been throughout its time in the AL Central.

The Kansas City Royals lead the AL Central in last-place finishes since 1998, with Detroit tied with Minnesota for second. The Twins have finished fifth seven times.

At the other end of the standings, Cleveland leads the division with 10 first-place finishes, followed closely by Minnesota with nine. Detroit and the White Sox rank next, with four division titles apiece, while Kansas City has won the division just once since 1998, capturing the title in 2015.

The numbers show just how much Cleveland has dominated the AL Central over the years. While other teams have enjoyed stretches of success, the Guardians have consistently remained among the division's top teams.

Cleveland also stands alone as the only team in the division that has never finished in fifth place.

Meanwhile, Kansas City remains the only AL Central team with just one division title since 1998.

Next season will mark the 30th season of the AL Central in its current five-team format, providing another milestone for a division that has seen plenty of ups and downs — particularly for the Tigers, who are still looking to reclaim the success they enjoyed from 2011 through 2014.