Inside the clubhouse, Detroit Tigers owner Christopher Ilitch talked about the fans while watching players and coaches celebrate clinching a postseason berth for the first time since 2014 .
Ilitch eventually joined the party, receiving an invitation he couldn't refuse from All-Star outfielder Riley Greene that led to a beer shower from the players.
"I've always dreamed of doing that," Greene said.
FINALLY: Tigers clinch first postseason appearance since 2014
Before that, Ilitch watched as the Tigers celebrated on the field in front of 44,435 fans.
"I'm so excited for Tiger fans," Ilitch said after Friday's 4-1 win to secure an American League wild-card spot. "I mean, Tiger fans are the greatest fans. They're loyal fans, for years supporting this club. You saw it tonight. They came out in numbers. Tiger fans deserve this. I couldn't be more excited for our fans."
The Tigers marched to the playoffs by winning 31 of 42 games after falling eight games under .500 on Aug. 10. Meanwhile, the Minnesota Twins were terrible down the stretch. The Tigers are one of two MLB teams ever to advance to the postseason after being at least that far under .500 through 115 games.
"I don't remember the exact game," Ilitch said, "but after a while, it became apparent it wasn't just luck or happenstance that we were winning games. It was part of a plan and execution at a high level. At some point, as we evaluate what's happening from an organizational standpoint, you could see that things were working and falling into place."
For all the wins, Ilitch credited the players and the coaches — all led by manager A.J. Hinch.
The Tigers hired Hinch in October 2020 .
Hinch turned in three losing seasons in a row before rediscovering his winning ways in 2024.
"It's not safe in there for anyone, even the owner," Hinch said of Ilitch's beer shower. "He is incredibly supportive of me and our office and our build to be a winner. To see our players comfortable enough in their own skin — or naive enough — to include him in the celebration is really cool."
THE GAME: Tigers clinch AL playoff berth in 4-1 W; White Sox set MLB record with 121st L
After the players, Ilitch credited president of baseball operations Scott Harris and assistant general manager Jeff Greenberg for their visions. He also mentioned assistant general manager Ryan Garko and assistant general manager Rob Metzler.
The Tigers hired Harris in September 2022 .
"It all starts with Scott," Ilitch said. "He had a vision. He's got a plan. He's executing it."
Ilitch doubled down.
Harris has a plan that he fully supports.
"Sometimes, he can tell all of us about everything he's working, and sometimes, he's just got to execute," Ilitch said. "I have the utmost confidence in him. ... Fortunately, I get to hear all of the background and the details behind the plan they're executing. Some, we can't reveal for competitive reasons, obviously, but there's a real vision."
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold .
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers owner Christopher Ilitch: 'Tiger fans are the greatest fans'
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