Where would Tigers' collapse rank in history if they blow division lead to Guardians?

Green Day put it best with their 2004 hit song, "Wake Me Up When September Ends". That's most likely how Tigers fans feel these days — that this is all just a dream, it has to be. There's no way a team with a 15.5-game lead in early July could wind up losing their own division, right?

Unfortunately, we're not in dreamland, and the reality is the Tigers are on the verge of being etched in a not-so-glorious part of baseball history. Even AJ Hinch acknowledged this and isn't shying away from this harsh reality.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, since the Divisional Era began, there have been five teams in major league history to overcome more than a 12.5-game deficit and finish the season as division winners. In other words, for a team to blow this type of lead is of historic proportions.

The worst division collapses in MLB history could soon include Tigers

This begs the question: if the Tigers do in fact lose out on an AL Central title, where does this collapse rank across major league history?

The 1978 Red Sox had a 14-game lead over the Yankees as of July 19. As the Yankees got hot going 20-3 from August into September, the Sox got cold, allowing New York to put immense pressure on their hated rival. Fast forward to a four-game sweep over Boston, otherwise known as the "Boston Massacre", the two teams would end up squaring off in a Game 163 to break the divisional tie. The Red Sox would eventually lose and give way to the Yankees as division champs and eventual World Series winners over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

How about the 2006 Tigers? As one of the best teams in all of baseball in the first half, the Tigers would go 25-31 throughout August and September and allow the Minnesota Twins to storm all the way back and win the AL Central. The Twins, 10.5 games back from Detroit as of Aug. 7, capitalized on Detroit's collapse marked by a significant injury to hit machine, Placido Polanco. The Tigers would have chance after chance to control their own destiny, but a five-game losing streak to end September paved the way for the Twins to be crowned as division champs.

The "Miracle Mets" from 1969 found another miracle in 1973 by rattling off a 20-8 run to vault the Cubs for the division win and a playoff berth. The Cubs had a 12.5-game lead as of July 8 and would finish below .500 (77-84). Talk about a meltdown. The Mets would end up staying hot and reaching the World Series, falling to the A's in seven games.

This list would not be complete if it didn't mention the 1995 California Angels. Holding onto a 13-game lead over the Mariners as of Aug. 2, the Angels lost their halos and fell from grace with two nine-game losing streaks, allowing the Mariners an opening to get hot and eventually force — you've guessed it — a Game 163. The Mariners dominated with The Big Unit, Randy Johnson, in a 9-1 victory, sealing Seattle a postseason berth.

So just how bad would this Tigers collapse be? Perhaps the worst ever. In fact, no team with a 15-game (or more) lead has ever lost their division, let alone a playoff spot — which is still mathematically possible as the Tigers are one game better than Houston as of this article's writing (84-72).

The pressure is now on the Tigers to drown out the noise, the doubters, and the raucous crowd at Progressive Field to get the job done. Despite the struggle, this Gritty Tigs roster has seen worse odds and with Tarik Skubal taking the mound on Tuesday's opener for perhaps the biggest series of the Tigers' season, you have to like those odds for a win.

Tigers fan or not, this is great for baseball. Get your popcorn ready, and hope that Detroit comes out on the right side of this.