The Detroit Tigers survived a ninth-inning comeback attempt from the Cleveland Guardians, prevailing 2-1 in the first game of their three-game American League Wild Card series. Despite backing into the postseason on a 2-10 slide — the Houston Astros losing games punched Detroit’s ticket more than their own winning did — the Tigers managed to make plays when they needed them most, while Cleveland let the game slip away in those same crucial moments. Here are the winners and losers from the first game of the 2025 MLB postseason.
Winner: Tarik Skubal
Tigers ace Tarik Skubal set a career high with 14 strikeouts across 7 2/3 innings (107 pitches/73 strikes). Skubal allowed just three hits, all singles, and only one left the infield.
What’s more, he saved his best for last, striking out five consecutive batters between the sixth and eighth innings as Detroit clung to a 2-1 lead.
After an infield single and a walk to begin the fourth inning with the heart of the Guardians’ order up, Skubal worked a pair of strikeouts to limit the damage and would’ve escaped the inning entirely were it not for another infield single. The 28-year-old right-hander, who captured the American League Cy Young award last season and is the favorite to do so again this year, kept the Tigers in the game as their offense continued to sputter.
Winner: Guardians’ Pitching Staff
Cleveland’s pitching staff didn’t allow an earned run despite the 2-1 loss, picking up 13 strikeouts and allowing just two walks. Gavin Williams mowed through six innings on a brisk 88 pitches, heading out for the seventh before a double and an error ended his day. Hunter Gaddis retired all five batters he faced before giving way to left-hander Erik Sabrowski, who entered to neutralize Tigers slugger Kerry Carpenter in the eighth inning.
Cade Smith took over for the ninth and worked around a hit batter and a walk, rebounding from his early yips to blank Detroit and keep his offense in the game.
The Guardians’ pitchers all fulfilled their roles to near perfection, doing more than enough to give Cleveland a win in Game 1 had it not been for the offensive struggles.
Loser: Cleveland’s Defense
As mentioned, the Tigers didn’t plate an earned run in Game 1. Williams picked up two outs on the first two pitches he threw before allowing a Carpenter single that bounced on the outfield grass and right off the glove of Guardians right fielder Johnathan Rodriguez.
That misplay allowed Carpenter to take second, putting him in position to give Detroit a 1-0 lead on a Spencer Torkelson single before Williams ended the inning with a strikeout. With the game tied in the seventh inning, Tigers right fielder Wenceel Pérez laced a pitch right at Cleveland first baseman Jhonkensy Noel, who managed to misplay it twice. Caroming off Noel’s glove, the ball went right to second baseman Brayan Rocchio, who relayed a throw back to first to save the out. Instead, Noel slipped off the bag to give Detroit runners at the corners. Gaddis forced a strikeout, but the Tigers had an extra out to play with and knocked in the deciding run on a sacrifice bunt.
After committing 99 errors during the regular season, tied for the third-worst mark in the league, Cleveland’s defense (or lack thereof) reared its ugly head once again. With Detroit losing their way into the postseason, perhaps it’s only fair that the Guardians helped them to victory.
Loser: Viewers’ Blood Pressure
Detroit seemed poised to add insurance runs in the top of the ninth when their first two batters reached, a sacrifice bunt moving them into scoring position.
Instead, Smith induced a lineout to second before fanning Zach McKinstry to keep the game within one run.
The Tigers returned the favor in the bottom of the frame when Javier Báez committed a throwing error on a Jose Ramírez infield single that allowed Ramírez to race around to third base with no outs, bringing the winning run to the plate: pinch-hitter George Valera in the cleanup spot.
Valera struck out, power hitter Kyle Manzardo grounded out to closer Will Vest, catching Ramírez in a rundown, and a pop fly ended the game.
The 2025 MLB postseason only took one game to raise the collective blood pressure of everyone viewing, and it isn’t even October yet.
