Rays dispatching Guardians in ALCS is sweet vindication Tigers fans were dying to see

After the White Sox blew their 2-0 lead in the ALDS over the Guardians, it was up to the Rays to fell the Tigers' most annoying division rivals.

Cleveland not only making it into the postseason but stumbling into a first-round bye with an 85-77 record is just about the most Cleveland thing that could've happened. Tigers fans know all too well that these guys just keep getting lucky over, and over, and over again.

The Guardians got out to an early lead in the ALCS, up 2-1 after Game 3. The Rays tied it up in Game 4, took the lead in Game 5, and then got to go home to seal the deal in Florida.

Richie Palacios opened scoring with a two-run double, and the Guardians trailed for the rest of the game before going home on a final score of 7-3. The Rays played like they knew they were the better team, like they had just been toying with Cleveland's hopes by handing over those two wins.

The Guardians are perennial contenders at this point thanks to a weak AL Central. Just like death and taxes, they're inevitable. But that doesn't mean that Tigers fans won't love it every time they're exposed by a superior team.

Rays finish the job against Tigers' most hated division rival Guardians, advance to World Series

The World Series is set: Rays vs. Brewers, two teams that have never won a Fall Classic. As long as you're not a fan of an opposing AL East or NL Central team, it's hard not to love that. The Rays have certainly won a few Tigers fans over after that Game 6 display against the Guardians, and the Brewers have become almost universally beloved for not just dethroning but annihilating the Dodgers.

While, yes, Tigers fans would've much preferred to see our team competing at this level, it also just makes sense: the winningest teams in their respective leagues are going to the World Series.

Watching Parker Messick get overwhelmed by Rays batters, watching Junior Caminero hit a just-barely-fair homer off of Cade Smith, watching José Ramírez disappear again after waking up in the ALDS — the last three games of this series was a feast for Tigers fans.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow