In a twist that few saw coming after their late-season stumble, the Detroit Tigers have clawed their way into the American League Division Series against the Seattle Mariners. It all came down to Thursday night's decisive Game 3 in Cleveland, where the Tigers rallied for a 6-3 win over the Guardians, snapping a month-long skid that had haunted them since mid-September. Dillon Dingler's homer in the sixth and a four-run seventh inning sealed the deal, advancing Detroit as the No. 6 seed to face the No. 2 Mariners in a best-of-five series starting this weekend.
Indeed, the Tigers' path forward looks challenging, with Seattle holding home-field advantage at T-Mobile Park. Game 1 kicks off Saturday, October 4, at 5:38 p.m. PT on FS1 – a prime-time slot that underscores the league's push for national buzz. Game 2 follows Sunday at 5:03 p.m. PT, also on FS1, keeping the pressure on early. If the series stretches – and with Tarik Skubal likely leading off for Detroit, it just might – Game 3 shifts to Comerica Park on Tuesday, October 7, at 5:08 p.m. ET, followed by potential Games 4 and 5 on Thursday and Saturday if needed.
However, momentum swings in the playoffs, and Detroit's ace Skubal, who struck out 14 in the Wild Card opener, could tilt things. Seattle, meanwhile, boasts a stingy rotation and that cavernous ballpark that suppresses offense – a tough matchup for the Tigers' scrappy lineup. The Mariners locked in their spot weeks ago with a 90-72 record, but now they face a hungry Detroit squad that just exorcised some demons against Cleveland.
Moreover, travel logistics add another layer; the Tigers head west immediately after their Thursday triumph, arriving in Seattle for what could be a grueling start. Fans in Detroit are already snapping up tickets for potential home games, with prices soaring past $200 for the cheap seats. It's a rematch of sorts from earlier interleague play, but the stakes here are championship-level.
Still, as these two teams collide, one can't help but ponder how far this resilient Tigers bunch can really go in October.