Tigers Sweep Royals, Strengthen Wild-Card Hopes

The Detroit Tigers have significantly strengthened their playoff hopes by sweeping the Kansas City Royals in a three-game series. Tarik Skubal earned his 17th win of the season, allowing only one run on three hits over five innings in the Tigers' 4-2 victory, improving his case for the AL Cy Young Award. The series finale was highlighted by Parker Meadows' broken-bat single in the 10th inning, securing a 3-1 win. Detroit, which has won 24 of its last 34 games, now sits just half a game behind the Minnesota Twins for the final AL wild-card spot. Despite injuries, such as Colt Keith's right shoulder issue, the Tigers' bullpen has been effective, with contributions from Sean Guenther and Jason Foley. As the season winds down, Detroit remains a strong contender for a playoff berth.