Saturday’s Game 1 matchup with the Cleveland Guardians was billed as the Tigers’ well-honed bullpen games versus top starter Tanner Bibee and a more traditional approach. Tradition won out in that one.
The Guardians couldn’t afford to lose the first of two at Progressive Field and then face Tarik Skubal in Game 2. They held serve, putting some runs up early, and Bibee and their top bullpen arms didn’t let the Tigers breathe in the batter’s box. The ill-fated baton pass from Tyler Holton to Reese Olson notwithstanding, the Tigers’ offense was really the chief offender.
We can imagine the game going pretty differently were it not for Olson’s hanging slider first pitch to Lane Thomas.