Scene at T-Mobile Park ahead of Detroit Tigers’ ALDS Game 1 in Seattle
Check out the scene at T-Mobile Park ahead of Detroit Tigers’ ALDS Game 1 vs Mariners in Seattle on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025.
SEATTLE – This was a thing of beauty.
Something to just admire.
Watching Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch push all the right buttons in a 3-2, 11-inning win over the Seattle Mariners in Game 1 of the ALDS on Saturday, Oct.5.
Then, the second part of that equation, watching the pitchers in the Tigers bullpen respond with an absolute brilliant performance. Guy after guy, coming out of the pen and just shoving. Throwing strikes. Showing no nerves just resolve. Sometimes in completely new roles under incredible pressure. The Tigers bullpen threw eight combined innings of relief and allowed one run on four hits. I mean, that’s incredible.
This was Pitching Chaos, Part 2. The new strategy where Hinch uses darn near everybody.
“We didn’t steal it – we earned it,” Hinch said. “How about our bullpen? That was quite an effort. Used everybody down there but one.”
Yes, more than anything, this was a bullpen victory. A complete, total team win. And it started with Troy Melton, who technically started the game but in reality, he really came out of the bullpen – yeah, I’m not sure what to call him anymore, other than a dang good, young pitcher who is growing before our eyes and has so much promise it’s crazy.
“All of our bullpen guys, including Troy, even though Troy started, it was a job well done,” Hinch said. “So we needed them all, or nearly all of them, and truly a team win.”
Indeed.
Troy Melton rises to the moment
Melton was tremendous, throwing four innings, allowing one run on two hits with four strikeouts and a walk before turning the game over to the buds in the bullpen.
“They’re basically my best friends on the team now, because I’m with them all the time every game,” Melton said. “So I have faith in every single person down there to do their job.”
Brant Hurter followed with a perfect inning on just seven pitches. All strikes.
“It just shows how deep we are, how A.J. has trust in everybody,” Hurter said. “And, yeah, it’s really cool to have a game where almost everybody in the bullpen throws.”
Maybe, all this success starts with the vibe in the bullpen. “It’s a supportive group − everybody keeps it light,” Hurter said. “Nobody’s too stressed. And if you have a bad outing, nobody’s beating you up about it.”
The only real blemish was Rafael Montero, who didn’t record an out while giving up two hits a walk and an earned run. But hey, nothing is every going to be totally perfect.
Tyler Holton cleaned up the mess in his third appearance of the postseason. Interesting tidbit: Holton has yet to give up a run a ross his 4⅓ innings in the postseason.
“I felt like we were able to take the crowd of it for the most part, as much as we could,” Holton said. “They’re always loud, but, yeah, just an awesome, awesome game to be able to win.”
Bullpen shows no fear
Tommy Kahnle threw a perfect seventh inning with one strikeout. Across 29 career postseason games, he holds a 2.87 ERA with 30 strikeouts and 13 walks.
“That shows our resilience,” Kahnle said. “We’ve been asked to a lot. I know we have. I know that all these guys know that, and we just keep going. We grab the ball and go.
“I feel like that’s the one thing that I wish people knew better. We are not afraid of the moment, any moment. We’re just gonna grab the ball and go get any outs we need.”
That’s exactly what this bullpen did.
Kyle Finnegan threw a scoreless eighth inning, allowing one hit with one strikeout.
Then, Will Vest threw a pair of perfect innings for the first time in his postseason career.
“Guys went out and just did their job, which is awesome to see,” Vest said. “A.J. put a lot of trust in the guys. And, you know, we went out and performed.”
Tigers get new perspective
But that brings us to an important point. By winning two games in Cleveland and this one in Seattle, this team is learning how to win on the road.
“In order to win the World Series, you’re gonna have to win games on the road,” Vest said. “That’s been a good test for us the last few weeks, getting that under our belt.
“Just getting used to playing in crazy atmospheres, going from Boston to Cleveland to here. You know, all three of them have been insane.”
Then, Keider Montero, who was appearing in the postseason for the first time in his life, threw a scoreless 11th and earned the save.
I mean, who didn’t see that coming?
“It’s huge,” said Zach McKinstry, who had the game-winning RBI single. “Keider getting his first save in the postseason, and I think maybe his career. So it’s super cool to see him do that and just go out there and get the ball and get it done.”
Yes, that’s the story of this night.
And maybe, this team.
They are better together than as individuals. “We’re going to need everybody,” Hinch said. “We are not a team that’s built on one guy, although any one of our guys can be the guy for that night.”
Contact Jeff Seidel: jseidel@freepress.com. Follow him @seideljeff. To read his recent columns, go to freep.com/sports/jeff-seidel.
Contact Jeff Seidel: jseidel@freepress.com. Follow him @seideljeff. To read his recent columns, go to freep.com/sports/jeff-seidel.