Detroit came within six outs of a commanding 2–0 series lead, but Seattle’s late punch evened the ALDS at one apiece, 3–2. Tarik Skubal looked every bit the ace: 7 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 1 BB, 9 K. The only blemishes? Two solo shots by Jorge Polanco—an unlikely (and rare) two-homer night against Skubal—one on a 2–0 slider in the 4th and another on a full-count heater in the 6th.
The story, though, was Detroit’s offense. Through seven innings: 0 runs, just 2 hits. The Tigers finished with only 3 hits total, finally tying it in the 8th on Spencer Torkelson’s two-run double before Seattle answered in the bottom half on Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodríguez back-to-back doubles off Kyle Finnegan. Andrés Muñoz closed it out 1-2-3. Series tied, 1–1.
What Hinch & Co. said
Manager A.J. Hinch kept perspective after the gut-punch: “Obviously, it’s a frustrating loss because every loss at this time of year is frustrating, but I’m… proud of our group and excited to get home.” He also explained the 8th-inning bullpen choice: “Finnegan was going to pitch in a tie or up game… at the top of the order, we’re going to attack them with our best.”
Bottom line on Game 2
- Ace work, tough luck: Two mistake-punish swings by Polanco were the difference against a dominant Skubal. Two homers off him in one game is exceedingly rare.
- Quiet sticks: 0 runs/2 hits through seven, 3 hits for the night. That familiar “great pitching, not enough support” theme returned.
- Still in a good spot: History says teams that split on the road in the 2–2–1 format advance ~62.5% of the time; now Detroit gets two at Comerica.
Game 3 in Detroit (Tuesday): Odds, probables, and keys
First pitch: Tue., Oct. 7, 4:08 p.m. ET at Comerica Park (FS1). Expected starters: Logan Gilbert (SEA) vs Jack Flaherty (DET).
Probable starting pitchers — 2025 regular-season lines
- Logan Gilbert (RHP, Mariners): 6–6, 3.44 ERA, 173 K, 1.03 WHIP.
- Jack Flaherty (RHP, Tigers): 8–15, 4.64 ERA, 188 K, 1.28 WHIP.
Betting snapshot (as of Monday): Multiple books list Seattle as a slight road favorite for Game 3, roughly SEA ~ -130 / DET ~ +110 (lines can move).
Three swing factors for Tuesday
- Wake the bats early. Detroit cannot wait until the 8th. Gilbert’s 2025 WHIP (1.03) means precious baserunners; capitalize on first-pitch fastballs and avoid chase above the zone.
- Length from Flaherty. With the bullpen heavily used in two tight games, a 6-plus inning start from Flaherty would stabilize things. His strikeout total (188) shows he can miss bats—locate the slider and keep traffic down (1.28 WHIP).
- Control the Polanco/J-Rod pocket. Seattle’s middle did the damage Sunday (Polanco x2; J-Rod dagger). Be deliberate with pitch mix—expand late, avoid repeat looks in fastball counts.
One encouraging note: The Tigers have already flipped home-field; they just need to hold serve at Comerica. As Skubal put it, “We have home field advantage now… We did accomplish something by coming here and taking one from them.”
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