Tigers make Tarik Skubal's next job clear with poetic playoff clinch at Fenway Park

After a whole mess of chaos, the Detroit Tigers' playoff berth was finalized on Saturday at Fenway Park by an unlikely, but predictable, source: a five-headed pitching monster, fueled by Jahmai Jones.

Jones was the one who saved the Tigers' vibes with a leadoff home run in Detroit's finale against the Guardians midweek. He was also the man on the spot who delivered both runs against rookie Connelly Early of the Red Sox Saturday, and two ended up enough to deliver a Tigers postseason clinch after three weeks of freefall.

Now, even though the Tigers' future fate has yet to be decided - Cleveland? New York? A home game? - they'll still stick with the plan they'd premeditated before this three-game set had even started.

Tarik Skubal, once set to pitch Sunday's finale if a postseason berth was on the line, will instead be held back for Game 1 of the postseason. Now, all that's left to determine is where he'll pitch, how long the series will be, and how much extra rest he'll be able to enjoy.

Tigers will hold Tarik Skubal back for Game 1 after playoff clinch at Fenway Park

Prior to Saturday's game, Skubal was asked to ponder his plan if he had to contend with a Tigers loss.

"I'm not staying up and watching (the Astros-Angels). I'll be asleep," Skubal told reporters. "Hopefully someone bangs on my door, and that means we're in."

Now, he'll be able to get an even lengthier sleep, without having to worry about pitching to the two-day-hangover Red Sox.

If the Guardians win both Saturday night and Sunday's game, the Tigers will lose the AL Central, regardless of their final result. If both teams win all their remaining games, the Tigers will pass the Red Sox, though, earning the tiebreaker. That will send Skubal to the Bronx and Boston to Cleveland to face the hottest team in the game (as Detroit fans know all too well).

There's still plenty on the line, but one thing that's been officially secured? The Tigers will not go down in infamy as a team that lost a 15-game lead and fell out of October. They've hit the reset button - and Skubal can now hit the snooze.