Critical Storylines For Guardians Vs. Tigers ALDS Game 2

Tarik Skubal vs. Matthew Boyd headline Game 2 of the ALDS between the Cleveland Guardians and the Detroit Tigers.

Oct 5, 2024; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Guardians second baseman Andres Gimenez (0) fields a ground ball behind Detroit Tigers outfielder Kerry Carpenter (30) in the first inning in game one of the ALDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Game 1 of the ALDS is in the books for the Cleveland Guardians and Detroit Tigers. It’s time to turn the page and focus on Game 2, where the storylines are just as big, and the pressure on both teams to come away with a victory will be high.

Tarik Skubal Vs. Matthew Boyd

The storylines for the starting pitching matchup of Tarik Skubal and Matthew Boyd simply write themselves.

For starters, the two are close friends who go back to Boyd's time in Detroit. Skubal said that Boyd is "a great mentor and leader. I'm still really close with him to this day. He and his family are special people. It's going to be fun."

Aug 25, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Matthew Boyd (16) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Then there's the on-field portion.

The Tigers are looking to tie the series and are going with their ace on the mound. Skubal was incredible against the Houston Astros in the ALWS, and Detroit is looking for another start like that. However, the Guardians do have multiple players in their potential lineup who have had success against him in the past.

On the other hand, Boyd's comeback story of returning from Tommy John surgery and being one of Cleveland's top starters is an incredible narrative. It could get even better if he helps the Guardians take a commanding 2-0 lead in the series.

How Will The Tigers' Bats Respond?

The Tigers were shut out in Game 1, recording only four hits and two walks while striking out 13 times. While this was Cleveland's best-case scenario, it simply isn't Detroit's offense over the last month.

The focus now turns to the Tigers to see how they'll respond to this poor performance in the series opener. Will the big hitters of Riley Greene, Park Meadows, and Matt Vierling snap back into it in Game 2?

What Will Cleveland's Bullpen Strategy Look Like?

Even though the Guardians had a five-run lead in the series opener, Stephen Vogt still opted to use his A-team of Cade Smith, Tim Herrin, Hunter Gaddis, and Emmanuel Clase to close out the game.

Part of this was due to the Guardians not playing for a week, and the other was Vogt's eagerness for a Game 1 win.

What will their strategy look like for Game 2? Will Vogt opt to use Gavin Williams or Joey Cantillo in a long-relief role? Will he go right back to what worked in the opener? Should Cleveland be nervous about over-exposing their top bullpen arms?

A lot of this depends on how deep Boyd can get into the game, but regardless, Vogt has some serious decisions to make about the bullpen.