DETROIT -- There's an all-business air of anticipation around Comerica Park, everywhere but in the Twins' clubhouse. There, it's the last day of school, with players discarding old equipment and preparing to head home. About half the team won't even go back to Minnesota tonight, once the season ends.
But while the Twins contemplated the finish, the Tigers were on the field, taking batting practice, which is rare on Sundays. Things are about to get intense for Detroit, starting with today's game. The Tigers must win one game over the next three days in order to advance to the division series against Baltimore -- beat the Twins today (or benefit from a Royals loss in Chicago), and they win the division. If not, they'll play a Game No. 163 here Monday against Kansas City, with the winner claiming the division title. If the Tigers haven't won by then, they'll advance to Tuesday's wild-card game with either Oakland or Seattle.
So today isn't win-or-else for Detroit, but the Tigers would surely love to avoid all those complications with a win. That's why David Price is on the mound, and the Tigers can't rest their regulars.
Kyle Gibson makes the start for the Twins, hoping to win his third game in a row, a nice way to head into the offseason. With three runs, the Twins can set a new record for runs scored against the Tigers, and also double their scoring total against Detroit from last year (61).
Here are the lineups for the 2014 season finale:
TWINS
Santana SS
Dozier 2B
