The Tigers are going to the postseason for a franchise-record fourth year in a row.
Toronto's 1-0 victory over Lloyd McClendon's Mariners Wednesday night means that Seattle can no longer catch Detroit in the race for the second American League wild-card spot.
Long-time Tigers nemesis Mark Buehrle was the winning pitcher for Toronto, pitching eight shutout innings, while Austin Jackson struck out three times for the Mariners, the last with one out in the ninth.
The Tigers also moved closer to the Central Division title Wednesday night, thanks to Cleveland's 6-4 win over Kansas City. Detroit's magic number for a fourth-straight division title is now three with four games to play.
The four consecutive postseason appearances break the record that Jim Leyland's final three Tigers teams had shared with the teams managed by Hughie Jennings that lost in the World Series in 1907, 1908 and 1909.
