The Seattle Mariners and Detroit Tigers will clash in a American League Divisional Series with a lot on the line. The Tigers defeated the Cleveland Guardians 2-1 in the ALWCS to advance in a thrilling series. Now, Tarik Skubal will get a chance to face Cal Raleigh and the Mariners' offense. Regardless of who wins, the series should have a lot of fireworks on display.
Skubal shut the Guardians down in a dominant outing to kick off his 2025 playoff run. Raleigh, on the other hand, helped his team earn a first round bye with a dominant finish to the regular season. While the other ALDS matchup will be between AL East rivals, Detroit and Seattle are much more unfamiliar with each other. The result should be a series full of surprises on both sides.
Skubal pitched the opening game of the ALWCS and may not be able to take the mound for Game 1. If he did, the ace would be on short rest against the Mariners' best pitcher. Despite a delay in the matchup, all eyes will be on the at-bats between Skubal and Raleigh. The clash of two of 2025's brightest stars could go a long way in determining which team comes out on top.
Raleigh and the Mariners have kept things loose in preparation for the ALDS. Despite having some time off, the AL West winners are ready to take on the Tigers in a series that starts on Saturday. Detroit manager AJ Hinch and Seattle skipper Dan Wilson are two of the best in the league and get a chance to match wits. The winner advances one step closer to a World Series title.
This ALDS matchup features some of baseball's biggest stars. Here is who will step up and perform.
Cal Raleigh will hit 4 HR's in the ALDS
Raleigh finished the regular season with 60 home runs, joining elite company in MLB history. The switch-hitting catcher has dominated pitchers all over the league, swinging a hot bat throughout the entire season. Over the course of the year, the Mariners' offense had its ups and downs. However, Raleigh was a consistent presence, fueling the team with elite production at the plate.
Raleigh dominated all season, putting up an OPS of .948 to go with a WAR of 7.3. Both marks are by far the best of his five-year major league career. There is no reason to assume that he cannot keep it up against a Tigers' starting rotation that has struggled. The Mariners need three wins to advance, and Raleigh has had stretches where he can hit a handful of bombs in that span.
Raleigh and Seattle won the regular season series 4-2 against Detroit. In three of their four wins, the Mariners scored at least eight runs. If Raleigh participates in enough offensive masterclasses, he could follow up an MVP-worthy regular season with a dominant playoff performance. However, the one pitcher he may not be able to figure out is Skubal.
Tarik Skubal will throw seven shutout innings, but Detroit will lose
Even though his future with the Tigers is in question, Skubal is off to a great start in the 2025 postseason. If it weren't for a historic start from Boston Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet, Detroit's ace would have had the best start in the Wild Card round. However, Skubal won his start after leaving after 7.2 innings. The Tigers would love to see him repeat that effort.
Unfortunately for the AL Cy Young favorite, Skubal cannot afford another outing like Game 1 from his offense. The Mariners are simply too talented to let the Tigers win a game with just two runs. Regardless of how good Skubal is on the mound, Seattle can take advantage of Detroit's bullpen and spoil any potential gems from the opposition.
Skubal will get his next start in either Game 2 or 3 of the ALDS. He has played well against every team in the league that he has faced, except for the Mariners. He faced Seattle twice, both games ending in rare losses for one of MLB's best. He will be at his best in their postseason matchup, but the Mariners will prove too resilient and steal a win after Skubal leaves the game.
The Tigers pull off the upset and advance to the ALCS
The Tigers may be the underdog in this series, but they was a great team for the majority of the regular season. The team's CEO may be pessimistic about Detroit's chances this season, but the team does not know how to quit. This series is tailor-made for the Mariners to jump out to an early lead. However, the Tigers have rallied all season and will do so again.
AJ Hinch has been one of the best leaders in the entire league since becoming a manager. His faith in Detroit helped the team snap a late losing streak and helped it sneak into the postseason. Now that the Tigers are in, they are playing with house money. That is a big advantage for a team with the talent to compete with anyone.
Detroit added Gleyber Torres in the offseason. Hinch got great seasons from Javier Baez, Zach McKinstry, and other overlooked stars. After a big win against the Guardians, the Tigers have momentum heading into the ALDS. Their dream run will continue and Detroit will make it back to the ALCS for the first time since 2012.
