DETROIT -- Everything the Detroit Tigers have worked for this season comes into sharper focus this week. A sweep of the Cleveland Guardians could seal the American League Central by Thursday afternoon. A sweep the other way could throw Detroit into a nail-biting final stretch.

The Tigers (85-65) remain 6 1/2 games ahead of the Guardians (78-71) with 12 games left, six of them head-to-head. If Detroit takes all three at Comerica Park, Cleveland could still finish tied in the standings, but the Tigers would win the division by tiebreaker.

Detroit has its big arms lined up: Right-handers Casey Mize (14-5, 3.83 ERA) and Jack Flaherty (8-13, 4.69) on Tuesday and Wednesday; and ace lefty Tarik Skubal (13-5, 2.26) in Thursday afternoon’s finale.

That last name is the most notable. Skubal left

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