Tigers host Guardians in Game 3, bringing MLB playoffs back to Motor City for first time in decade

The Motor City has not hosted a playoff baseball game in a decade.

The long wait is almost over.

The Detroit Tigers play the Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday with their best-of-five AL Division Series tied at one game apiece, ending a drought that has dragged on since 2014.

“There's a whole generation of kids here that haven’t seen postseason baseball live,” Tigers president of basketball operations Scott Harris said Tuesday. “Hopefully, they are loud from the very first pitch. I’ve seen the fans help us win games and I’m really excited to see what they can do.”

The Guardians have a player making a long-awaited return to the postseason.

Alex Cobb last appeared in the playoffs in 2013 when he started two games for Tampa Bay, a wild-card win against Cleveland, and a Division Series loss to Boston.

The 37-year-old righty had hip surgery last Oct. 31 and hadn't yet returned to the mound when he was acquired from San Francisco at the July 30 trade deadline.

The 2023 All-Star made his season debut Aug, 9 and was sidelined after two games by a torn nail on his right index finger. He didn't allow an earned run over six innings in his Sept. 1 return against Pittsburgh, then went back on the injured list with a blister on his right middle finger that ended his regular season. He was 2-1 with a 2.76 ERA in three games and 16 1/3 innings with the Guardians.

“There’s probably nobody in this playoffs that appreciate it more than I do after being away from being in this for so long,” Cobb said.

He prepped for the playoffs against the AL Central champions with a pair of simulated games.

“I was kind of living and dying on every single pitch of those two sim games to give them the confidence that I was ready,” Cobb said.

Pitching for his fifth major league team, Cobb said he's ready for the challenge and opportunity.

“I think having the type of team we have helps you have a little bit more confidence,” he said. “We’ve got the best defense in baseball, best bullpen in baseball.”

Detroit tied the series Monday when Kerry Carpenter hit a three-run homer in the ninth off All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase for a 3-0 victory.

Tigers manager A.J. Hinch plans to use many pitchers for an inning or so Wednesday as he has twice in the playoffs and in a slew of games in the regular season. After trading pitchers Jack Flaherty and Andrew Chafin at the deadline along with outfielder Mark Canha in what appeared to be moves pointing to the future, the Tigers went on a 33-13 run to earn a wild card.

Detroit used seven pitchers to eliminate AL West champion Houston to finish a two-game wild card sweep for its first postseason series win since 2013, then had five on the mound in losing Saturday's Division Series opener 7-0.

“We don’t really call them bullpen days,” Harris said. “We tried to find a strategy that fit our pitching staff and when you look at this pitching staff right now, we’re we’re pretty long on stuff and depth and short on experience.

“Taking a non-traditional approach to pitching helps a lot of young pitchers assimilate to the game at this level more quickly. It also took some pressure off of some of our young starters by having them come out of the bullpen. And, it allows A.J. to stay a little bit more unpredictable to the opponents.”

Hinch did not announce who will start for Detroit, but said he intended to inform the Guardians by the end of their workout Tuesday.

“We obviously game-plan for a starter, and then you kind of get a feel for it as it goes second and third time,” Cleveland All-Star outfielder Steven Kwan said. “But with it being a new arm every time, it’s different.”