AL Division Series preview: Detroit Tigers vs. Cleveland Guardians

CLEVELAND — Midwest neighbors and mostly friendly division rivals, Detroit and Cleveland have played 2,326 times since their first game on May 3, 1901.

Never once have they met in the postseason in 123 years. That changes Saturday. It’s finally happening.

“This will be the best commute in my playoff history,” joked Tigers manager A.J. Hinch, noting the short flight over Lake Erie. “Two proud cities in a great part of the country, more so in the summer than the winter. You’re going to see packed stadiums on both sides. It’s good for baseball.”

Welcome to the Surprise Series.

Two of three AL Central teams still alive — along with the big-bankroll New York Yankees — in these playoffs, the Tigers and Guardians, both of whom entered 2024 with modest expectations, will meet in Game 1 of the AL Division Series at Progressive Field in a matchup that didn’t seem possible just weeks ago.

Cleveland will start Tanner Bibee in the opener while Hinch counters with Tyler Holton before turning it over to his bullpen and triggering “pitching chaos” as he calls the strategy that turned Detroit’s season around.

When they last visited Progressive Field for a series in late July, the Tigers were five games under .500, 14 back of first-place Cleveland in the division and on the verge of making several trades that seemed to signal surrender.

From the outside, the outlook was gloomy.

But the Tigers had confidence in their roster, and energized by some minor leaguers and getting some key players healthy, they’ve become baseball’s hottest — and most dangerous — team.

Detroit went 31-13 down the stretch to earn a wild-card spot before sweeping AL West champion Houston on its home field to advance.

Hinch smiled when asked if he could have imagined in July returning to Cleveland in October to play for a spot in the ALCS. He knew there was potential in his group, he just needed to find a way to tap into it.

“We believed in our talent. We believed in our young players,” he said. “We felt like we were getting better. A couple big wins here creates a little more belief, and then you win a tough series against playoff-caliber teams, and that creates even more belief.

“And you look up, and we were right in the thick of things as we got into the middle of September. Still, I thought a lot of people were wondering when was it going to fade, when was it going to fall off, when was it going to be a nice story but maybe not our time. But that was all outside our building.

“So we just kept at it and found ourselves in a really good position to make it to October and get to the first playoff series in a while.”

And now that they’ve made it this far, the Tigers don’t want to stop.

Same goes for the Guardians, who have spent the past week resting up after clinching an unexpected No. 2 seed.

While the rest of baseball has been shocked by Detroit’s late-season run, Cleveland’s players could see the Tigers had something going. The Guardians won the season series 7-6, but were outscored.

“They played us tough all year and we were saying how good that team was,” said catcher Austin Hedges. “To go 7-6 against them, especially at a time of the year when we were rolling through everybody. They were playing some of the toughest baseball against us. We knew how good they were. They just weren’t finishing some games and then once they did, it showed.

“That’s a real team.”

Still, as they’ve stacked wins, there have been moments in this startling surge when the Tigers have amazed themselves.

“Every game you feel like there’s something where you’re just looking to the guy next to you and you’re just like, ‘What the heck just happened?’” said reliever Will Vest. “That’s what’s so beautiful about baseball.”

OPENING JITTERS

Bibee faced the Tigers four times during the regular season. October is a whole new ballgame.

The right-hander will be making his postseason debut, and didn’t hide that his stomach has been churning for days. Bibee said the anticipation and adrenaline didn’t really kick in until the Tigers stunned the Astros.

“Once Detroit won that series, it was like, ‘oh, this is getting real,’” said Bibee, who went 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA against Detroit. “I’ve had butterflies ever since, and it’s really exciting. I’m excited to see the fans come, pack it out. I’m excited to feel the energy.”

LOOKING AHEAD

With a day off between Games 1 and 2, Guardians manager Stephen Vogt could change pitching plans depending on how things go in the opener.

Cleveland had baseball’s best bullpen all season, and like Hinch, Vogt could use his relievers from start to finish. At this point, former Tigers left-hander Matthew Boyd is penciled in to start Game 2 on Monday.

Detroit’s starter is a no-brainer: Tarik Skubal, who led the league in wins, ERA and strikeouts and could be a unanimous Cy Young winner.

GLOVE STORY

True to his name, Tigers center fielder Parker Meadows can cover some grass.

Meadows has made a knack of making big defensive plays, most recently racing back to take an extra-base hit away from Houston’s Jeremy Peña in the ninth inning of Game 2.

“He’s a deer out there,” said Vest. “Peña squared that ball up to center field. But literally, off the bat, I was like, he’s catching it.”

It wasn’t the first time Meadows’ defense has saved the day.

“That guy’s a pitcher’s best friend,” Vest said. “I know double plays are supposed to be our best friend. Parker Meadows is our best friend. It’s good to have him back there.”