2011 Detroit Tigers season

The 2011 Detroit Tigers season was the team's 111th season. The season began on March 31 at New York against the Yankees, and the home opener was on April 8 against the Kansas City Royals.^[1] The Tigers honored the late Sparky Anderson during the season. The Tigers sent five players to the 2011 Major League Baseball All-Star Game: starting pitcher Justin Verlander, first baseman Miguel Cabrera, catcher Alex Avila, shortstop Jhonny Peralta, and closer José Valverde.^[2] The regular season concluded September 28 at home against the Cleveland Indians, with the Tigers holding a 95–67 record.

The season saw the team's first 11-game winning streak since 1968, and first nine-game winning streak since 1984 – both years in which the Tigers went on to win the World Series. The streak ended at 12 games on September 14. It consisted of four consecutive three-game sweeps over their AL Central Division rivals. It was the Tigers longest winning streak since the 1934 team won 14 straight.^[3]

On September 16, the Tigers clinched the AL Central Division title with a 3–1 win over the Oakland Athletics. It was their first American League Central Division title since they joined the division in 1998, and the team's first division title of any kind since winning the American League East in 1987.^[4] They became the first team of the season to qualify for the American League Division Series, and first team in either league to clinch their division. The Tigers clinched the division with 11 games left to play, tying the franchise record set by the 1984 team. Justin Verlander was named both American League Cy Young Award winner and AL Most Valuable Player for an outstanding season that saw him lead the league in wins (24), strikeouts (250) and ERA (2.40).^[5]

On October 6, the Tigers beat the New York Yankees in Game 5 of the ALDS, winning the series 3–2, and advancing to the American League Championship Series, which they lost to the Texas Rangers 4–2.