UPDATE: The Detroit Tigers are gearing up for a crucial Wild Card Series against the Cleveland Guardians, starting Tuesday, October 3, 2023, at Progressive Field. This matchup comes immediately after Cleveland clinched the AL Central title on the final day of the regular season, leaving Detroit to regroup and prepare for a high-stakes showdown.
In a dramatic turn of events, the Guardians surged past the Tigers in the standings, finishing the season with a record of 88-74 compared to Detroit’s 87-75. The teams faced each other six times in the last two weeks, with Cleveland winning five of those matchups. Tigers manager A.J. Hinch emphasized the need for his team to stay focused and well-prepared as they head back to familiar territory.
“We’re going to Cleveland, which is where we just came from, and we’ll get to work,” Hinch stated after a 4-3 loss to the Boston Red Sox cost his team a shot at the division championship. “We won’t take for granted that we know this team. We’ll make sure we’re prepared, and our guys will be ready.”
Detroit’s ace pitcher, Tarik Skubal, has been a key player for the Tigers, having limited opponents to just two earned runs over his last two starts against the Guardians. However, both games resulted in losses for Detroit. With the stakes raised in the postseason, Skubal expressed a sense of urgency, stating, “I don’t really care. It’s the postseason. This is what you prepare for.”
The upcoming Wild Card Series is a best-of-three format, creating a do-or-die scenario for both teams. This is a pivotal moment for the Tigers as they seek redemption against a division rival that has proven to be formidable in recent weeks.
Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler echoed the sentiment of focusing on the present: “It’s a clean slate now. We’re not going to worry about anything that’s happened. We’re going to move forward and have a lot of fun.”
As the clock ticks down to the first pitch on Tuesday, fans are eagerly anticipating a thrilling match that could determine the fate of the Tigers’ postseason aspirations. The series promises to showcase intense competition and high emotions, as both teams vie for a spot in the next round of the playoffs.
Stay tuned for further updates as the Tigers and Guardians prepare for this pivotal encounter in the 2023 postseason.