The outstanding journey of the 2024 Detroit Tigers continues.
On Wednesday, Detroit earned a 5-2 win over the Houston Astros in Recreation 2 of the wild-card Collection to advance to the American League Division Collection.
For Detroit, the victory marks the workforce’s first postseason sequence win since 2013 and units up what ought to be an exhilarating matchup in opposition to its AL Central rival Cleveland Guardians. For the Astros, who reached the ALCS in every of the final seven seasons, the loss raises many questions coming into a pivotal offseason.
Listed below are three takeaways from Detroit’s win:
Tigers’ “pitching chaos” pays off
After receiving a dominant outing from the seemingly soon-to-be AL Cy Younger Award winner Tarik Skubal in Recreation 1, Tigers supervisor A.J. Hinch instructed reporters he deliberate on unleashing “pitching chaos” on Wednesday. Whereas this was simply Hinch’s amusing method of claiming his workforce could be throwing a bullpen recreation, Detroit’s pitching employees fittingly prompted chaos in Recreation 2.
The Tigers bullpen pitched essentially the most innings within the majors in the course of the common season (694), and the unit’s expertise proved invaluable on Wednesday. Detroit used seven totally different pitchers within the contest, combining to permit two runs on 5 hits and three walks whereas racking up 5 strikeouts.
It is value mentioning that Hinch made his lone mistake of the sequence within the seventh, calling on RHP Jackson Jobe, MLB Pipeline’s No. 6 prospect who solely made his main league debut on Sept. 25. The 22-year-old recorded only one out, hitting a batter whereas permitting two hits and two earned runs.
Nonetheless, the scrappy Tigers lineup as soon as once more confirmed their resilience, instantly responding by scoring 4 runs within the eighth inning, with the bullpen later hanging on to safe the win.
The Tigers are removed from essentially the most gifted workforce within the postseason. Nevertheless, to make a deep run in October, everybody must pitch in, and that is exactly what Detroit’s gamers have accomplished, not solely within the wild-card Collection however since August. With the momentum and cohesiveness the Tigers are enjoying with, the Guardians can have their work lower out for themselves within the ALDS.
The backend of the bullpen ends Houston’s season
Houston obtained stellar pitching performances from right-handers Hunter Brown and Bryan Abreu on Wednesday, nevertheless it noticed its season finish precisely the way it started, with the backend of the bullpen imploding.
Coming into the common season, the Astros bullpen was broadly thought-about one among, if not the highest unit in baseball after signing LHP Josh Hader to a five-year, $95M deal in January. Nevertheless, Hader struggled mightily in his debut season with the Astros, posting a 3.80 ERA with 4 blown saves. Moreover, Ryan Pressly — a key piece of Houston’s bullpen since 2018 — took an enormous step again in 2024, blowing eight saves, the second-most within the majors.
In the end, Pressly’s common season struggles carried into the postseason, placing himself and Hader able to cough the lead again as much as Detroit within the eighth inning. After putting out his first batter, Pressly then gave up two singles, with a run ultimately scoring on a wild pitch. Pressly recorded his second strikeout however walked his subsequent batter, prompting Astros supervisor Joe Espada to show to Hader.
The five-time All-Star Hader walked the primary batter he confronted on 4 pitches to load the bases. Hinch subsequently introduced in Andy Ibanez off the bench to face the Hader, and the utilityman promptly delivered the largest hit in latest Tigers historical past, a bases-clearing double.
