The Cleveland Guardians didn't have a strategy against Tarik Skubal, because how could they? Any team that claims to know how to hit Skubal is lying, or will be forced into an unfortunate reality in his very next start. The narrative entering Tuesday's Game 1 was if any team had figured out a respectable approach against Skubal, it's the Cleveland Guardians. Perhaps we fell victim to recency bias, or the fact that the Guardians have faced Skubal so many times in the last two years – he's pitched against them five times this season alone.
Skubal made light work of Cleveland. The victory was not comfortable for the Tigers, but that was not Skubal's doing. He threw nearly eight innings of no-run ball, striking out 14 hitters in the process. The challenges he did face were self-induced – a theme in his starts against Cleveland – due to infield singles, errors or walks. When Skubal had control, which was often, he was borderline unhittable.
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Guardians ball may not be enough to beat the Tigers
Sure, Cleveland was facing the best pitcher on the planet, so Game 1 ought to be taken with a grain of salt. This was a game the Tigers needed to have, and they got it. Cleveland still has two games at Progressive Field to save their season, and favorable pitching matchups. One of the Tigers biggest flaws could be exposed as soon as Wednesday in their lack of rotation depth behind Skubal.
However, what was most noticeable against Skubal wasn't just the Guardians failed approach, but their utter inability to hit the ball out of the infield.
Every batted ball Cleveland had in Game 1. Guardsball might cause problems for the other team, but at a certain point you've got to hit the ball out of the infield, too. pic.twitter.com/YWfhPnEizv
— Mike Petriello (@mike_petriello) September 30, 2025
The Guardians cause problems by putting pressure on the opposing defense and pitching staff. When they are able to put the ball in play and get runners on, they are a force to be reckoned with. However, their small-ball approach is a moot point if unable to drive that run in. Eventually, someone needs to get a big hit, and for the most part Detroit held Cleveland in check.
“The way Tarik Skubal threw the ball tonight, I don’t know if anybody scores off of him,” Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt said. “He was absolutely outstanding. Took a little bit of Guard Ball turmoil there just to get one. … But he was some kind of special today.”
Tarik Skubal exposed a critical flaw with Guards ball
Skubal claims to live for these games, so it should come as no surprise he was up for the moment. But what of Casey Mize and Jack Flaherty, the Tigers pitchers slated to throw in Games 2 and 3, respectively? Much of their success will be determined by Guards ball. Cleveland's lineup plays on its front foot, forcing the opposing pitcher into uncomfortable situations with men on base. Both Mize and Flaherty – plus the Tigers bullpen – will have to trust the defense behind them. This is despite much of the evidence to the contrary, which included some questionable plays in the field during the Tigers September collapse.
However, this is the key flaw of Guards ball. As scrappy as Cleveland may be when its working, they are essentially taking the bat out of their own hands. The flaw with small-ball strategies is that it requires mental errors and misplays, something the Tigers have fallen victim to in recent weeks.
Situational hitting is incredibly important in the postseason. Heck, even the Tigers scored their winning run on a sacrifice bunt Tuesday. But the Guardians cannot win a playoff series, let alone a World Series, without flashing some pop when they need to. As we saw in the ninth inning when Jose Ramirez couldn't score from third base with no outs, the Guardians cannot reach their end goal this way.