The Detroit Tigers are tied 1–1 in the ALDS and heading home to Comerica Park, but manager A.J. Hinch is flipping the script with a rotation change designed to keep the edge.
Flaherty Gets the Game 3 Nod
Hinch confirmed that Jack Flaherty will start Game 3 on Tuesday against the Seattle Mariners, while Casey Mize will follow in Game 4 on Wednesday.
It’s a subtle but significant shift from the Wild Card Series, where Mize started Game 2 and Flaherty pitched Game 3 against Cleveland.
This time, Hinch is trusting the veteran first. Flaherty has looked sharp in limited October action, allowing just one earned run in 4.2 innings with four strikeouts and a 1.93 ERA.
Flaherty’s control and competitiveness have been a stabilizing force for Detroit’s rotation, a group led by Tarik Skubal, who’s been nothing short of dominant this postseason.
Skubal’s Ace-Level Dominance
Through two postseason starts, Tarik Skubal has been lights-out, posting a 1.84 ERA with a 14.1 K/9 rate and 23 strikeouts in just 14.2 innings. His poise has set the tone for a young pitching staff that’s delivered a collective 2.60 ERA and 0.93 WHIP across the first five playoff games.
Skubal’s mindset after Game 2 said everything about the Tigers’ belief heading into Detroit:
“We did our job,” he said. “We have home-field advantage now.”
Meanwhile, Casey Mize will take the mound for Game 4. In his lone playoff outing so far, the right-hander battled through 3.0 innings, allowing one earned run on two hits while striking out one
Detroit’s Bullpen Has Stepped Up
Behind the starters, Detroit’s bullpen has quietly been elite. Will Vest has emerged as Hinch’s most reliable late-inning arm, tossing 5.0 scoreless innings with one save and a perfect 0.00 ERA this postseason.
Meanwhile, Kyle Finnegan has appeared in four of Detroit’s five games — recording a 1.93 ERA and maintaining the aggressive mentality that’s defined his playoff run.
“We’ve been playing really good ball,” Finnegan said after Sunday’s loss. “These were two tight games, but now we’re going home. This one stings, but it could be worse. We’ll be ready.”
The Bottom Line
The Tigers’ pitching has been their backbone, from Skubal’s strikeout clinic to Vest’s spotless relief work. Now, with the series tied and the rotation reset, A.J. Hinch is banking on Flaherty’s veteran calm and Mize’s hungry fire to take advantage of Comerica’s crowd and tilt the ALDS back in Detroit’s favor.
“I’m proud of our group,” Hinch said. “We’re excited to get home and play in front of our fans.”
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