Just when it felt like the Detroit Tigers had a stranglehold in their ALDS matchup against the Seattle Mariners, they lost the Tarik Skubal start in Game 2, evening the series at a game apiece. The series is far from over, and it can be argued that Detroit should still be favored with two home games and another Skubal start on the docket, but any Skubal start they fail to win feels like a missed opportunity.
I'm not going to say I expect the Tigers to win the World Series, but this might be their best, last chance to do so for a while, given Skubal's contract situation. The soon-to-be back-to-back AL Cy Young winner is only under club control through the 2026 season, meaning he can test free agency as soon as next winter.
It's probably unlikely the Tigers will entertain trading him before then, but it also seems unlikely that they will extend him, given what owner Christopher Illitch had to say regarding Skubal's future after their Wild Card Series win.
"We're in 2025 right now," Ilitch said when asked about Skubal's long-term future in Detroit. This doesn't mean he's a lock to leave, but if Illitch loved his odds of paying Skubal, the answer probably would've been different.
Knowing that this could be their last postseason run with Skubal in town, these Tigers players should feel the pressure during this series.
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5) Casey Mize, starting pitcher
The Tigers have the good fortune of rostering Skubal, the best starting pitcher on the planet, but the rest of the rotation leaves a lot to be desired. Jack Flaherty has had an up-and-down year, and their trade for Charlie Morton backfired to the point where he was DFA'd before the postseason. As of now, Casey Mize is probably their second-best starter.
Mize was an All-Star in what amounted to a breakout regular season, but had an uneven second half and went just three innings in his lone Wild Card Series start. There's a good amount of pressure on Flaherty, Detroit's Game 3 starter, to pitch well, but I'd argue there's more pressure on Mize, the Game 4 starter.
Even if Detroit loses Game 3, they'll still be alive no matter what. No matter what happens in Game 3, the Tigers will be in an elimination game of some sort, either with the chance to help the team advance to the ALCS or fight for their 2025 lives.
4) Spencer Torkelson, first baseman
Another fun Tigers breakout came by the way of Spencer Torkelson, who tied his career high with 31 home runs during the regular season. Torkelson is the scariest right-handed bat Detroit has to offer in a left-handed-heavy lineup, but it hasn't played out that way in October.
He did come through with a massive game-tying two-run double in Game 2 against the Mariners, but that was his only hit in seven at-bats this series, and he's gone just 3-for-18 with six strikeouts this postseason. Torkelson has not gone deep a single time this October, and that double was his lone postseason extra-base hit.
The Tigers have struggled to score runs all postseason long, and the fact that their biggest right-handed power bat has been mostly a non-factor is a big reason why. Hopefully, he can find a way to contribute, and quickly.
3) Will Vest, relief pitcher
Not only do the Tigers have a questionable rotation beyond Skubal, but their bullpen leaves a lot to be desired, too. Scott Harris did address it at the trade deadline, but I'd argue not enough. Due to the lack of trustworthy options, Will Vest must be lockdown late in games.
To his credit, he has been dominant this October, allowing just one hit in five scoreless innings across three appearances. He's recorded more than three outs in each of his three outings, highlighting just how important he is to their team's success.
The Tigers are going to push him hard, and it's on Vest to answer the bell. He has so far, and Tigers fans can only hope that continues.
2) Kerry Carpenter, outfielder
If there's one name to circle in this Tigers lineup, it's Kerry (Bonds) Carpenter, and we saw exactly why in Game 1 of this Mariners series. The Mariners kept George Kirby, a right-handed pitcher Carpenter has owned, to face the outfielder, and paid the price, as Carpenter launched a go-ahead two-run shot, coming through with the key blast in Detroit's Game 1 victory. As great as that moment was, Carpenter has gone 0-for-7 with four strikeouts in the rest of the series.
It's really hard to win in October if your stars don't play like stars - just ask the Philadelphia Phillies. The Tigers are going to have to find a way to score more than three runs - something they've done just once all postseason thus far - to win games. For them to score more than three runs, Carpenter is going to have to be Carpenter.
He has his shortcomings as a left-handed hitter against left-handed pitching, but the Mariners don't have a single left-handed starter and have just two left-handed pitchers overall. A vast majority of the matchups will favor Carpenter, and it's on him to take advantage.
1) Riley Greene, outfielder
I think Carpenter is the Tigers' best hitter, but Riley Greene had the best statistical season of any Tigers position player. He blew past previous career-highs by launching 36 home runs and driving in 111 runs. He strikes out a ton, but when he makes contact, he's able to do damage. The damage part of his game hasn't been quite as prevalent this postseason, though.
Greene is hitting .300 entering Tuesday's action, but he has not gone yard a single time. A five-game sample size is rather small, and he's been getting his hits, but it goes without saying that the Tigers need a guy who hit 36 home runs in the regular season to chip in power-wise in October.
I can't stress this enough - home runs are king in the postseason. As Tigers fans are well aware of at this point, stringing hits together to score runs is so hard against quality pitching. Greene is going to have to capitalize on whatever mistakes the Mariners give him, and he's doing to have to do so sooner rather than later.