The Detroit Tigers pulled off a stunning upset on Thursday night, defeating the Cleveland Guardians 6-1 in Game 3 of the Wild Card Series to secure their spot in the American League Division Series. It was a gritty performance that has fans buzzing, especially as they now face the Seattle Mariners in a best-of-five matchup starting this weekend. The Tigers, seeded sixth, rode a late surge with Wenceel Pérez's bases-loaded two-run single to break open the game, ending Cleveland's postseason hopes abruptly.
Indeed, this series pits two teams with contrasting paths to October. The Mariners, clinching the AL West and earning the No. 2 seed, get home-field advantage for the first two games at T-Mobile Park. Game 1 kicks off Saturday, October 4, at a start time yet to be finalized but expected around 4 p.m. ET, broadcast on FOX. Game 2 follows Sunday, October 5, at 1 p.m. ET on FS1. If the series goes longer, Games 3 and 4 shift to Comerica Park in Detroit on Tuesday and Wednesday, October 7 and 8, with Game 5—if necessary—on Thursday, October 9. Travel logistics could get tricky for the Tigers after their quick turnaround from Cleveland.
However, the momentum feels squarely with Detroit right now. Their improbable run through the Wild Card round—becoming just the second No. 6 seed to advance since the format change—has injected fresh energy into what was shaping up as a predictable AL bracket. Seattle, meanwhile, boasts a deep pitching staff and home crowd support, but questions linger about their offense holding up against Detroit's opportunistic bats. Moreover, the ALDS schedule aligns with the broader MLB postseason, where four series unfold simultaneously under the best-of-five format.
But as the Tigers pack for Seattle, one can't help but wonder how this underdog story will unfold in the pressure cooker of playoff baseball.