Where do Tigers stand in the Wild Card race if they cede AL Central to Guardians?

The Tigers' loss to the Braves on Sunday marked their third straight series loss, second straight sweep, and their ninth loss in their last 10 games to bring their division lead down to a single game. The only silver lining was that the Guardians lost to the Twins on the same day to delay a tie, but the operative word there is delay. A tie is the absolute least of the Tigers' worries right now.

Detroit will end their season with a road trip — three games in Cleveland and then three in Boston. All three teams are fighting for a postseason spot.

Morale isn't high among fans, and despite some players' insistence, it's hard to believe that it's different in the clubhouse. The Twins interrupted a 10-game winning streak for the red-hot Guardians, but there's little to any hope that the Tigers will be able to come back with a sweep. All it'll take for Cleveland to move into first place is two losses in this upcoming series.

If the Tigers do lose what was once a 15.5-game lead over the Guardians, where does that put them in the Wild Card race?

Tigers on the brink of losing AL Central division lead — and might not even fall into a Wild Card spot

Through play on Sunday, there are three teams in the race for the last Wild Card spot. The Yankees are almost guaranteed the No. 4 seed, but the Red Sox are only one game up over the Guardians and Astros, who are tied with an 84-72 record.

The Astros are floundering — they're on a three-game losing streak and have lost five of their last 10. If they continue to lose at the same rate as the Tigers, there may not be an issue if the Guardians and Tigers swap places. But if Houston gets hot, that would leave them, the Tigers, and the Red Sox jockeying for the Nos. 5 and 6 seeds.

Even if the Tigers manage to sweep the Guardians, things are still going to come down to the last series of the season, and the Guardians hold the tiebreaker advantage over them if they end the regular season with an identical record.

It's coming down the wire, and the Tigers are finding themselves on their back foot for the first time this season, and at the worst possible juncture. Hope is low and fans might need to temper expectations, but if the team can at least muddle their way into a Wild Card spot, they can recover a shred of their dignity.