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Watch live: Tigers fight for their postseason lives against Indians

With just six games remaining in the regular season, the Detroit Tigers remain on the periphery of the American League playoff race. Detroit sits just two games out, and while the club faces an uphill battle, their pursuit of October glory is still in play.

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In order to get there, Detroit will need a little help. The team’s late playoff charge will be the focus of Tuesday’s MLB Free Game of the Day on Yahoo Sports. Justin Verlander and the Tigers will take on Jason Kipnis (maybe … more on that in a second) and the Cleveland Indians. The contest, which starts at 7:10 p.m. ET, can be streamed on Yahoo’s Sports Home, MLB index, video home and this very post. Local blackouts apply, per MLB rules.

Justin Verlander wants to keep Detroit's playoff hopes alive Tuesday. (Getty Images/David Maxwell)
Justin Verlander wants to keep Detroit’s playoff hopes alive Tuesday. (Getty Images/David Maxwell)

Detroit can help its own cause by winning tonight, but the Tigers still need other scenarios to break their way in order to move up in the wild-card standings. Here are the three things every Tigers fan should be hoping for Tuesday night … and the rest of the season, really.

BEAT CLEVELAND’S HUNGOVER LINEUP
With a win Monday night, the Indians clinched the American League Central for the first time since 2007. Like most teams, the celebrated in the usual fashion. Considering notorious party animal Mike Napoli is a member of the Indians, it’s fair to say more than a few lineup regulars might not be up for playing Tuesday’s game. That means Cleveland is likely to trot out the infamous hangover lineup so many teams use the day after they clinch a division title. All Detroit has to do is beat platoon players and 40-man call-ups if they want to help their own cause. That shouldn’t be too difficult, right?

SHOW CANADA SOME LOVE
The two teams the Tigers are trailing in the wild card race, the Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles, are currently playing each other. Since the Blue Jays currently sit in the top spot of the AL wild card, the Tigers need the Orioles to lose in order to gain any ground in the wild card standings. Detroit could move to a game back if they win and Baltimore loses Tuesday. If the Tigers win, but Baltimore also wins, Detroit remains two games out of the wild card hunt, while the Blue Jays and Orioles move into a tie for the top spot. Tigers fans may want to consider buying a Blue Jays cap and memorizing the words to “O Canada” prior to Tuesday’s game.

ROOT AGAINST THOSE PESKY SEATTLE MARINERS
The Tigers aren’t the only team fighting for that second wild card spot. The Seattle Mariners are also two games out, and could complicate things if they continue winning games. It would be quite the letdown if the Tigers gained ground in the wild card race only to have another team keep the pace with them. As such, the team needs to hope Seattle drops Tuesday’s game against the Houston Astros. Anything that pushes the Mariners out of the picture is a positive for Detroit.

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Chris Cwik is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik