Tigers and Guardians fans can band together in outrage over MLB Wild Card timing

Tigers fans breathed a sigh of relief when Detroit eked their way into the 2025 postseason with a narrow 2-1 victory over the Red Sox on Saturday, thanks to a two-run single from Jahmai Jones and some admirable pitching from Keider Montero and the Tigers' bullpen.

They still managed to lose what was once a 15.5-game division lead over the Guardians the next day by failing to score after the fourth inning and losing by a run, but they kept themselves from quite literally the most embarrassing fate possible — losing that kind of lead and then missing the postseason.

The Tigers will go on to face the Guardians in the AL Wild Card round — the teams' third series against each other in just two weeks. We all know how the last two went, and it's entirely possible that Tigers' fans animosity toward Cleveland has never raged stronger.

However, both fanbases can agree on one thing: everyone hates the timing of this week's Wild Card series. All three games, played out in Cleveland, will begin at 1:08 PM ET. The Padres and Cubs are getting a similar amount of disrespect (all three games starting at 2:08 PM CST), while the Red Sox, Yankees, Reds, and Dodgers get more primetime slots.

Tigers and Guardians fans alike are outraged over early afternoon start times for 2025 Wild Card series

This is far from the first time the Tigers have gotten the short end of the stick when it comes to start times. Last year's Wild Card series against the Astros started at 2:32 PM EST, and all but one of the Tigers-Guardians 2024 ALDS started before 6 PM.

The Dodgers were always going to get the primetime spot no matter who they were playing as the darlings of MLB, but there's no question that there are more interesting matchups this year. Tigers-Guardians and Red Sox-Yankees feature two of the oldest rivalries in baseball, but everyone ultimately loses out to the golden boys of MLB.

There will no dout be Tigers and Guardians fans who will be willing to cut work or school to go out to Progressive Field, but AL Central fans are still pretty fed up with constantly getting this treatment. While everyone would much prefer an easy sweep, no matter who they're rooting for, a thriller that comes down to a tight Game 3 could also shove MLB's underestimation of the division right back in their faces.