Tigers return to Detroit for 1st time in 2-plus weeks, hosting Mariners in Game 3 of ALDS tied at 1

DETROIT (AP) — When the Detroit Tigers walked off the field following their last home game two-plus weeks ago, no one knew if they would play another game at Comerica Park this year.

“We had to earn it,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said Monday. “It took a lot to get back home.”

The Tigers dropped a seventh straight home game against Atlanta on Sept. 21, when they were clinging to a one-game lead in the AL Central before closing with a biggest collapse in division or league history.

The Tigers bounced back well enough to have another game in the Motor City on Tuesday afternoon against Seattle in Game 3 of their AL Division Series.

Detroit eliminated the AL Central-champion Cleveland Guardians on their home field in an AL Wild Card Series last week, then stayed on the road to play in Seattle over the weekend.

Detroit opened with a 3-2, 11-inning win and the Mariners beat Tarik Skubal 3-2 on Sunday night to even the best-of-five series.

When both teams arrived in Detroit, they went in different directions.

The Mariners made their way to Comerica Park while the Tigers took advantage of their first opportunity to sleep in their beds since September.

“It’s been a long time since we’ve been home,” said right-hander Jack Flaherty, who is Detroit’s probable starter for Game 3. “But at the same time, it’s been a fun kind of bonding experience with these guys. We’ve spent a lot of time with each other, a lot of time on the road.”

Seattle spent some time throwing a football around in the outfield, running, throwing, catching and hitting upon arrival on Monday afternoon.

“Everybody did enjoy their rest and a chance to kind of keep the body on a low simmer,” Seattle manager Dan Wilson said. “It was a chance for us to get out here and work out. I thought it was important to get some juice flowing here a little bit and get used to the ballpark again.”

Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor is dealing with a personal matter and Wilson declined to say if he traveled with the team to Detroit.

“We’ll know more tomorrow,” Wilson said Monday.

Seattle seems to be preparing to potentially play without Naylor.

“We’ve got a plan in place,” Wilson said.

The Tigers may not make another road trip if they don’t start hitting better, starting with their opportunities at the plate against Logan Gilbert in his first start since Sept. 27.

Detroit has struck out a major league-high 59 times in the postseason, fanning nearly 12 times a game. Its .186 batting average — including .192 with runners in scoring position — and .545 OPS as a team rank among the worst in baseball during the playoffs.

“Welcome to Major League Baseball,” Hinch said.

The Tigers had a four-run inning in a 6-3 win over Cleveland last week to advance and scored a total of 10 runs in the other 46 innings of the playoffs.

“We’ve got to pick better pitches to hit,” Hinch said.

Gilbert might make that challenging.

The 6-foot-6, 215-pound right-hander, who has a unique delivery, had 173 strikeouts in 131 innings during the regular season.

“When he’s on, he has swing-and-miss stuff,” Wilson said. “Having that strikeout ability, especially in the postseason, is really a plus.”

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