Tigers fans now in shambles after Guardians didn't tear down roster at trade deadline

Last October, the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Guardians clashed in an epic, five-game battle in the ALDS. Now, almost a year later, they are locked in a different kind of battle – one for American League Central division supremacy – that both teams probably never expected to be in at this point in the season.

At one point in July, the Guardians trailed the Tigers by 15.5 games in the AL Central. Now, that gap is down to 3.5 games. So perhaps it's a good thing the Guardians didn't alter the timeline of their entire franchise at the trade deadline by dealing away a player like Steven Kwan, who extended his on-base streak to 12 games while stealing his 20th base of the season against the Tigers on Wednesday.

In the days leading up to the deadline, the Guardians trading their leadoff hitter (and several others) felt inevitable. After all, the division was almost certainly lost, so why not kickstart a rebuild? And yet, somewhat inexplicably, the Guardians decided they were going to keep their core together and try to compete this season – and compete, they have.

Tigers fans now furious Guardians didn't trade Steven Kwan at deadline

The Guardians' decision not to sell at the deadline was widely criticized. They traded away Shane Bieber and Paul Sewald – both of whom were injured at the time – and otherwise stood pat. At the time, they were 2.5 games out of a Wild Card spot, so they were still technically in the playoff hunt. But they didn't appear to be in win-now mode or gearing up for a total rebuild, which left them in an awkward middle ground.

But as the rumors swirled about Kwan (and potentially others) leaving town, Tigers fans (rightfully) jumped in on the fun, criticizing their rival for middling play and lack of a direction with the franchise.

Fast forward to the present day. The Guardians have won seven games in a row and 12 of their past 13 to surge back into the postseason conversation. That includes their recent sweep of the Tigers, who are now sweating their division lead (3.5 games) more than anyone would have expected before the All-Star break.

The Guardians have leapfrogged the Tampa Bay Rays, Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers in the American League standings. They have a chance to sneak past the Houston Astros or Boston Red Sox for a Wild Card berth. They also have an outside chance to chase down the Tigers for the AL Central title – an impossibility that feels like more of a reality with every Detroit loss.