Tigers Reflect on Tough ALDS Loss
A sleepless night in Seattle signals a long winter for the Detroit Tigers. They’ll be left wondering what they could have changed to salvage their season.
Yet, manager AJ Hinch has no doubts about one of his more controversial decisions this season.
He expressed it was an “easy decision” to remove ace Tariq Skubal after just six innings during a gripping 15-inning, 3-2 loss to the Seattle Mariners in Game 5 of the AL Division Series.
Following Skubal’s departure, the Mariners quickly leveled the score at 2-2 in the seventh and clinched victory with Jorge Polanco’s walk-off homer in the bottom of the 15th. The game extended nearly five hours.
Still, Hinch stands by his choice to pull Skubal, stating, “He gave us everything he could.”
“After the fifth, we assessed him both physically and mentally and felt he had one inning left,” Hinch shared with reporters post-game.
Skubal had the Mariners baffled, yielding just one run on two hits while striking out 13—setting a record for the most strikeouts by a starting pitcher in a winner-take-all postseason game.
He even struck out seven batters consecutively, creating an October record.
Despite their struggles at the plate, Seattle managed to prolong at-bats, pushing Skubal’s pitch count to 99 by the end of the sixth inning.
There was a pivotal moment when star catcher Cal Lowry connected with a 161 mph four-seamer on his third strike. Hinch interpreted this as a sign Skubal was losing steam.
“He left everything out there and was visibly emotional coming off the mound. I think that really reflects where we were in the game,” Hinch explained. “He was pushing hard from the first pitch. It was an easy decision.”
Hinch couldn’t foresee the events following Skubal’s exit—having to rely on seven different pitchers to cover the next nine innings—but a part of him can’t help but question what could have been had they kept their ace in the game, especially since he had pitched seven innings in previous playoff outings.
However, after nine additional innings, where the bullpen allowed only two earned runs, Hinch won’t lose any more sleep over the choice.
It was a heartbreaking loss, for sure, but it’s something he feels he can accept.
Hinch commented, “It was an unbelievable victory for them. So, it was an unbelievable loss for us. But we wish them well in the next round. They earned the win. It was a remarkable game.”
The Seattle Mariners have advanced to the AL Championship Series for the first time since 2001 and will face the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 1 on Sunday night at Rogers Center.
