CLEVELAND — They’ve been embroiled in a battle that transcends what’s transpired these past couple days.
The 2025 Tigers and Guardians will forever be linked in the record books because of the saga staged in September, when Cleveland made a historic AL Central comeback at Detroit’s expense. Now, these two teams, who can’t seem to play each other in anything but tight and tense games, will be linked one last time here, in a winner-take-all Game 3 of the American League Division Series on Thursday at Progressive Field.
“These games,” said Guardians All-Star left fielder Steven Kwan, “have felt like a chess match.”
Nah, they’re much more fun and loud than that. Louder still when the Guardians broke a 1-1 tie with a five-run eighth inning to take Game 2, 6-1, and stave off elimination.
Now, both teams face elimination — a fitting finish to a division battle that came right down to the wire. On the line is a trip to Seattle to play the resting Mariners in an AL Division Series that begins Saturday at T-Mobile Park.
Of the 20 previous teams to lose Game 1 in a best-of-three Wild Card Series, just four had forced a Game 3, like the Guardians did — and all did so at home. The 2020 A’s and Padres both completed the comeback, while the 2022 Mets and 2024 Brewers did not. In postseason history, teams are only 64-66 in winner-take-all games in their home ballpark.
It will be the Tigers’ Jack Flaherty opposite the Guardians’ Slade Cecconi in Game 3, with both bullpens at the ready, as always.
“These are all-hands-on-deck games,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “It’s the American League Wild Card Series. Every pitch, every at-bat, every mistake, every big swing seems to count as two.”
Flaherty has done this before, having started for the Cardinals against the Padres in the 2020 Wild Card Series and flourished with six innings of one-run ball, albeit in an eventual loss for St. Louis. Cecconi’s experience with elimination games is more nuanced.
“I threw in the regional finals against Mississippi State when I was at Miami,” he said. “Started that game on one day of rest. That was fun.”
Here’s to one more fun one between the Guardians and Tigers. They’re already forever paired in the record books. And here’s one more for the books.
When is the game and how can I watch it?
First pitch for Game 3 of the Tigers-Guardians Wild Card Series is set for 1 p.m. ET on Thursday at Progressive Field. The game will be broadcast on ESPN.
All series are available in the US on MLB.TV with authentication to a participating Pay TV provider. Games also are available live internationally, although not in Canada.
“It’s everything,” Flaherty said before Game 2. “The reason you get out of bed in the morning is to go out and have a chance to win no matter where you’re at. To have a chance to do it with these guys is all the more special.”
Guardians: Cecconi (7-7, 4.30 ERA) is making his first career playoff start; the right-hander made a pair of relief appearances with the D-backs during their 2023 World Series run. Cleveland acquired Cecconi from Arizona on Dec. 21 in the Josh Naylor trade, and the right-hander was largely steady in his first season with the Guardians.
Cecconi joined the rotation on May 17 after consistent starter Ben Lively underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery. He recorded a 3.44 ERA over 10 starts before the All-Star break and 4.91 ERA over 10 starts after, though that included a 3.90 ERA over five September starts.
How does one prepare for a win-or-go-home game? The same way you prepare for any start, by the sound of it.
“It’s the beauty of treating every game like a playoff game,” Cecconi said. “You don’t have to do anything different when a playoff game shows up. I treat every game with 100 percent focus, intensity, preparation.
“I’ve given everything I’ve had every time I’ve taken the mound. That’s not going to change tomorrow.”
What might the starting lineups look like?
Tigers: Even Hinch admits it’s odd for him to go with the same lineup and batting order for more than a game at a time, but at this point, it’s about matchups, not just for the starting nine but for his arsenal of pinch-hitters waiting for their turn against the Guardians’ bullpen. Pinch-hitting for Riley Greene in Game 2 shows Hinch will hit for anyone.
Guardians: Cleveland’s offense was held in check for much of Wednesday before it scored five times in the eighth inning. But Wednesday could provide a blueprint for how Vogt’s lineup could look against a right-handed starting pitcher, before the Guardians play the matchup game against Detroit’s bullpen in the later innings.
Before Wednesday’s game got to that point, George Valera hit a solo homer off Tigers starter Casey Mize in the first inning.
How will the bullpens line up after the starter?
Tigers: Hinch went to his bullpen in the fourth inning in Game 2 in an effort to counter Cleveland’s left-handed hitters. With a win-or-go-home scenario, Flaherty’s start could end up looking more like pitching chaos if he isn’t on his game early. Lefty Tyler Holton threw 2 1/3 innings in Game 2, but in a relatively efficient 31 pitches, and should be available for an inning-plus. Fellow lefty Brant Hurter is available, but he gave up the Bo Naylor home run that essentially put Game 2 away. Keep an eye on Tommy Kahnle, who has yet to pitch but has World Series experience from last year and a changeup that could counter Cleveland’s lefty balance.
Guardians: Cleveland also leaned heavily on its bullpen in Game 2; Erik Sabrowski, Hunter Gaddis, Tim Herrin, Jakob Junis and Cade Smith covered the final 4 1/3 innings and did not allow a run in relief of Tanner Bibee. Vogt noted they would have to see how Smith felt Thursday to see whether he will be available for a third appearance in as many days, but he sounded optimistic of his availability. Sabrowkski and Gaddis also would be poised for a third straight appearance. If the Guardians need length, starter Joey Cantillo is on the roster as a length option out of the bullpen, as is long man Kolby Allard.
Any injuries of note?
Tigers: Torkelson underwent X-rays on his right foot after fouling a ball off of it in the fourth inning of Game 2, but the results showed no damage, clearing him for Game 3. He was hit by a pitch on his left hand in the ninth inning, but he had no lingering damage from it.
Guardians: No new injuries to report.
Who is hot and who is not?
Tigers: Javier Báez has hit safely in six straight games dating back to last Thursday, including four two-hit games. … Wenceel Pérez is 0-for-8 so far this series.
Guardians: Rocchio is now a career .308 hitter (12-for-39) in the postseason with two doubles, two homers and three RBIs. Kwan and Manzardo are each 1-for-8 through two games this series.
Anything else fans might want to know?
Including the eighth inning of Game 2, the Guardians have scored five runs in a single postseason inning three times since 2013, all of which have come against the Tigers. That included the first inning of Game 1 of the 2024 ALDS and the fifth inning of Game 5 last year.
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