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Tigers Focused on Positives After They Let One Get Away in Game 2

Originally posted on Detroit Tigers on SI | By Brad Wakai | Last updated Oct 6, 2025 1:00 PM ET

The Detroit Tigers are heading back to Comerica Park with the American League Division Series tied at one win apiece.

Considering how the Tigers entered this matchup against the red-hot Seattle Mariners, there probably would have been a whole lot of people out there who would have taken this result after the first two games of this best-of-five showdown got underway.

However, it does feel like there was some meat left on the bone. Tarik Skubal pitched another gem in Game 2, but Detroit's offense couldn't capitalize as Seattle's hung around and produced multiple clutch hits to tie things up at 1-1.

Tigers Believe They Accomplished Their Goal With Road Split

The Tigers aren't sitting back and thinking about what could have been, though. They believe they accomplished what they set out to do coming into this series, which was taking a game on the road and shifting home-field advantage back to themselves.

"I think we did our job," Skubal said, per Jason Beck of MLB.com. "Obviously you want to win every single game, but that's just not reality."

Whether their inability to secure the Game 2 victory comes back to bite them or not will be determined at a later date. But there's no doubt that getting a win on the road is a huge positive for this group as they head back home and try to get things rolling at Comerica Park.

"We get to go home and get to play in front of the best fans in baseball," Skubal added. "It's a 1-1 series. It's not that we're satisfied with going home 1-1, but I like to think optimistically, not glass-half-empty in that sense. We did accomplish something by coming here and taking one from them."

Tigers Need Other Starters To Step Up

Detroit has already revealed that Jack Flaherty and Casey Mize are going to be handed the ball in Games 3 and 4, respectively. And with Seattle throwing Logan Gilbert opposite of Flaherty, the Tigers are going to need good showings from their two guys if they are going to advance.

It's not a guarantee that Detroit will be able to find their offense, especially against the opposing pitching staff they will be facing. So the starters who are tasked with keeping the Tigers in the game against a potent Mariners offense have to deliver.

Skubal is right that Detroit accomplished a lot by earning a split on the road, but it won't mean a thing if they don't take care of business at home.