Lineups
It’s officially do or die time for the Detroit Tigers as they head into a deciding Game 3 of their AL Wild Card series against the Cleveland Guardians.
The Tigers took Game 1 off a gem from Tarik Skubal, but fell on Wednesday after a late surge from the Guardians.
In order to keep their postseason alive, the Tigers need to down Cleveland at Progressive Field on Thursday (3 p.m., ABC) to earn a spot in the ALDS against the Seattle Mariners.
On the mound for the Tigers will be right-hander Jack Flaherty (8-15, 4.64 ERA).
In three starts against the Guardians this season, Flaherty has a 3.94 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 16 innings. Cleveland only hit .186 against the veteran, but the Tigers lost all three matchups.
For the Guardians it will be righty Slade Cecconi (7-7, 4.30). In two starts against Detroit, Cecconi had a 2.25 ERA, with 11 strikeouts in 12 innings.
After a rare instance of keeping the same lineup through the first two game, manager A.J. Hinch is toying with the order, moving Parker Meadows from leadoff to the 9-spot and moving Wenceel Pérez ahead of Riley Greene and Spencer Torkelson to the 3-hole.
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