X-factors for Yankees, Blue Jays, Mariners and Tigers as ALDS matchups are set
USA TODAY Sports’ Gabe Lacques breaks down the ALDS and players to watch from the Yankees, Blue Jays, Mariners and Tigers
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The Seattle Mariners defeated the Tigers, 8-4, in Detroit on Tuesday, Oct. 7 to take a 2-1 lead in the ALDS.
One more win in the best-of-five series will advance the Mariners to the ALCS for the first time since 2001. Their first crack at reaching the MLB semifinals comes Wednesday, Oct. 8 (time to be determined by result of Blue Jays-Yankees Game 3).
Tuesday’s game was delayed several hours due to inclement weather, but that seemed to have no impact on Seattle starter Logan Gilbert. He went six strong innings, yielding just four hits while striking out seven on 85 pitches. Gilbert did not issue a walk and gave up one run, in the fifth inning.
The Mariners gave Gilbert early run support with two runs in the third and he was further boosted by solo home runs from Eugenio Suarez in the fourth and No. 9 hitter J.P. Crawford in the sixth.
MLB home run leader Cal Raleigh extended the lead to 8-1 with a two-run blast in the top of the ninth … runs that proved useful as things got hairy in the bottom of the ninth with Caleb Ferguson on the mound. Closer Andres Munoz quelled the fire, though, and the Mariners claimed victory.
Detroit is slated to start former No. 1 overall pick Casey Mize on Wednesday with its season on the line. The Mariners will counter with right-hander Bryce Miller.
A great double play by first baseman Josh Naylor ends this one. The Mariners lead the series 2-1.
Caleb Ferguson simply can’t find it for Seattle. It’s 8-4 with no outs now after the Tigers get a single, walk, double and another single.
Incredibly, the Mariners are now going to their closer, Andres Munoz.
It’s 8-1 now for Seattle after MLB home run leader Cal Raleigh gets his first of the playoffs. Batting lefty, he hit a two-run, opposite-field home run.
A Mariners fan who got the ball on the bounce had the perfect shirt, emblazoned with “Dump Here” and the No. 61.
The fan then unveiled a “Dump Here” shirt with No. 62 on it. Incredible.
A Kerry Carpenter error in the top of the eighth put Mariners runners at third and second with one out.
J.P. Crawford’s subsequent sacrifice fly extended the Mariners’ lead to 6-1. The Tigers are running out of outs.
The Mariners are turning to the bullpen to protect their 5-1 lead over the final three innings. Cameras showed Gilbert exchanging handshakes with teammates, an indication his night is over.
He gave up four hits over six innings, striking out seven while yielding no walks. He threw 85 pitches.
Matt Brash is on the mound to begin the bottom of the seventh.
J.P. Crawford played a role in the Mariners failing to turn a double play the previous inning, allowing the Tigers to plate their first run of the game. But he more than made up for it in the top of the sixth inning with a solo home run that restored the team’s four-run lead.
The solo shot from the No. 9 hitter came with two outs and ended Detroit reliever Brant Hurter’s night. Â
Seattle leads 5-1.
The Detroit Tigers finally got to Logan Gilbert in the bottom of the fifth inning.
Gilbert plunked Dillon Dingler to begin the inning and Dingler advanced to second via a sacrifice bunt. A Javy Baez single put runners on first and third with one out.
It looked like the Mariners might escape the inning unscathed, but they could not complete a double play, which allowed Dingler to score. The scoring ended there as Gleyber Torres grounded out to end the frame.
The Mariners lead 4-1.
After another two runs crossed for Seattle in the top of the fourth, Detroit’s counterattack fell entirely flat. Logan Gilbert blazed through the middle of Detriot’s lineup, finishing the inning with a strikeout to Zach McKinstry.
Heading to the fifth inning, it’s still 4-0 Seattle.
After the Suarez homer, Flaherty walked the next batter before getting Victor Robles to strike out. That was all for his day. The Tigers brought in Tommy Kahnle, who promptly walked J.P. Crawford. Kahnle needed 13 pitches to record his first out, a strikeout to Randy Arozarena.
With two outs, Cal Raleigh sent the first pitch he saw back up the middle to drive in Canzone, Raleigh’s first RBI of the series. It’s now 4-0 Mariners.
Luckily, the inning would end after a high fly ball from Julio Rodriguez was tracked down by Riley Greene.
The Tigers failed to answer Seattle’s two-run third and Seattle has just extended their lead after Eugenio Suarez, who came up as a Detroit Tiger, blasted a solo shot to left field to lead off the top of the fourth.
It’s now 3-0 Mariners.
Facing a two-run deficit, the Tigers got a runner in scoring position this inning, courtesy of a two-out double from Gleyber Torres. However, the Tigers have struggled with runners in scoring position this postseason, tallying just three hits in 17 at-bats with men in scoring position through the first two games of this series.
The onus fell on Colt Keith to put the Tigers back in the fight. Keith couldn’t do it though.
He certainly gave it his best effort, sending a fly ball to deep center field, but there was too much field to spare and Julio Rodriguez had no trouble securing the final out of the inning.
To the fourth inning we go. Seattle leads 2-0.
After allowing four straight baserunners to lead off the third inning, Flaherty settled into a groove, striking out Julio Rodriguez and Jorge Polanco.
Josh Naylor gave Tigers fans a bit of a scare, sending a deep fly ball to right center. However, the ball would stay in the yard, stranding both Arozarena and Raleigh on base.
It’s 2-0 heading into the bottom of the third.
After being held hitless through the first two innings, the Mariners have racked up three straight hits. This time, it was Randy Arozarena taking Flaherty back up the middle, allowing Crawford to score from second.
It is now 2-0 Seattle.
Victor Robles led off the bottom of the third with a double, putting a man in scoring position with no one out. This was far and away Seattle’s best chance of scoring a run. After all, this was their first baserunner with fewer than two outs.
They wouldn’t have to wait long for the fireworks to get going either. A single from J.P. Crawford would push Robles to third as the throw from Riley Greene went home. However, the throw would get past Dingler at the plate, allowing Robles to score on a very close play. Meanwhile, Crawford reached second base as well.
Seattle leads 1-0 and they have another runner in scoring position with the top of their lineup due next.
Two innings, two hits off Logan Gilbert. Still, the Tigers have not done much with runners on base. Despite Dillon Dingler reaching base on a line drive to right center, the Mariners went down quietly after.
This is gearing up to be quite the pitcher’s duel. This one remains scoreless into the third.
The veteran righty did face a little trouble in the second. A nice play at second from Gleyber Torres and subsequent dig at first from Torkelson wound up keeping Josh Naylor off the basepaths. After that play though, Flaherty was pushed to a full count by Eugenio Suarez. Flaherty then threw a breaking ball below the zone to put Suarez on base, Seattle’s first baserunner of the game.
With two outs and only a runner on first though, the Mariners couldn’t do any damage as Canzone went down swinging on a breaking ball in the dirt.
We’re still knotted at zero.
After Flaherty’s strong first, the Tigers had a chance to take an early lead. While we did see the first hit of the contest in the bottom of the first, that wasn’t enough to land the Tigers a run. It’s still scoreless going into the second frame.
Clearly the rain delay didn’t affect Tigers’ starter Jack Flaherty much. Flaherty set down the Mariners in order. It did take a while for instant replay to confirm a groundout in the inning, but otherwise, Flaherty faced little to no struggle to kick off the game.
It remains scoreless heading into the bottom of the first.
Where to watch Tigers vs. Mariners Game 3
Game 3 of the American League Division Series is being televised on FS1. Adam Amin will handle play-by-play duties with A.J. Pierzynski and Adam Wainwright as analysts and Tom Verducci reporting from the field.
Watch Mariners vs Tigers on Fubo
What time is Tigers vs Mariners game today?
The first game of the American League Division Series doubleheader is scheduled for 4:08 p.m. ET from Detroit.
At long last, the prophecy has been fulfilled! We will have baseball in Detroit today.
MLB announced that first pitch is now expected to come at 7 p.m. ET.
Broadcast update:
First pitch for ALDS Game 3 between the Mariners and Tigers is expected at 7 pm ET. It will air on FS2, MLB Network and the FOX One App. In addition, the game will air on FS1 from 7-8 pm ET.
ALDS Game 3 between the Blue Jays and Yankees will air at 8 pm ET on…
— MLB (@MLB) October 7, 2025
The game will air on FS1 until the start of Blue Jays-Yankees at 8 p.m. ET. From that point on, the game will air on FS2. It can also be viewed on MLB Network and the FOX One App.
Although this game has been delayed several hours at this point, many fans have expressed excitement regarding the delay.
The game was originally scheduled to start at 4:08 p.m. ET/1:08 p.m. PT. That was at least an hour before most fans get off work, meaning they would have had to miss part of the game. West coast fans would’ve run the risk of missing the whole game.
However, the delay has not only given fans a better opportunity to watch their favorite games, but has in turn showcased the absurdity of MLB scheduling games when several fans would be unable to attend or watch.
You know MLB scheduling is bad when there’s a rain delay and the majority of fans are happy loool
— Jed 🇬🇧 (@TigersJUK) October 7, 2025
The rain delay in Detroit has gone on much longer than anticipated, and it could even start cutting into air time for Game 3 of the series between the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees (Blue Jays lead 2-0).
Should that happen, Game 3 of the Mariners and Tigers will shift to FS2, allowing Toronto vs. New York to play out on FS1.
If the rain delayed Tigers-Mariners runs into the Yankees-Jays at 8 p.m., Tigers-Mariners will shift from FS1 to FS2 at that time. Yanks-Jays will remain on FS1.
Both games are on Fox Sports App and Fox One app.
— Andrew Marchand (@AndrewMarchand) October 7, 2025
Although Game 3 was supposed to start at 4:08 p.m. ET, it appears that time will not happen. The tarp is still on the field and the rain is still coming down hard.
Per the National Weather Service, the forecast predicts that rains in Detroit will continue through 5 p.m. local time.
In a best-of-5 series, Game 3 tends to be the most pivotal of them all.
Here are the starting pitchers for today’s game:
Tigers: RHP Jack Flaherty (8-15, 4.64 ERA)Mariners: RHP Logan Gilbert (6-6, 3.44 ERA)
Gilbert pitched against the Tigers twice this year. He did not record a win or loss in either game. That said, the Mariners went 1-1 in those games with the Mariners scoring nine total runs, and the Tigers scoring eight. Gilbert allowed five runs (three earned) across 10.1 innings pitched in those two games.
Flaherty, meanwhile, pitched just one game against Seattle all year, an 8-4 loss. Flaherty surrendered two earned runs in five innings in that matchup.
Randy Arozarena (R) LFCal Raleigh (S) CJulio RodrÃguez (R) CFJorge Polanco (S) 2BJosh Naylor (L) 1BEugenio Suárez (R) 3BDominic Canzone (L) DHVictor Robles (R) RFJ.P. Crawford (L) SSKerry Carpenter (L) RFGleyber Torres (R) 2BColt Keith (L) DHRiley Greene (L) LFSpencer Torkelson (R) 1BZach McKinstry (L) 3BDillon Dingler (R) CParker Meadows (L) CFJavier Báez (R) SS
Series tied 1-1
Game 1: Saturday, Oct. 4 – Tigers 3, Mariners 2 (11 innings)Game 2: Sunday, Oct. 5 – Mariners 3, Tigers 2Game 3: Tuesday, Oct. 7 – Mariners at Tigers, 4:08 p.m. ETGame 4: Wednesday, Oct. 8 – Mariners at Tigers, Time TBAGame 5: Friday, Oct. 10 (if necessary) – Tigers at Mariners, Time TBA