3 Players on Detroit Tigers To Watch For in Game 5 of ALDS
The Detroit Tigers will be facing the Cleveland Guardians in Game 5 of the American League Division Series on Saturday with everything on the line in an elimination game.
It has been a very exciting series so far to watch between two teams from the American League Central. With both teams being very familiar with each other after playing in 13 games in the regular season, the series has been mostly low scoring.
Also, the pitching and especially the bullpens have been good and used a lot throughout the four games. With neither team having much depth in starting pitching, this has quickly turned into a bullpen series for the most part.
Game 5 will shift back to Cleveland, as the Guardians will have the home-field advantage on Saturday. The final game of the series will surely be an exciting one for viewers, and here are three players on the Tigers to watch with the season on the line.
Parker Meadows
While there hasn’t been a ton of scoring for either team in this series, one player who has stood out on offense for the Tigers has been their rookie outfielder, Parker Meadows. Coming down the stretch, Meadows has been one of the best hitters for Detroit, and he has continued that into the playoffs.
In the postseason, Meadows is currently leading the team in hits and total bases, as he tries to set the table for the offense. Even though he is a rookie, he hasn’t been impacted by the moment. Considering how low of scoring this series has been, one or two hits from Meadows could end up being the difference in the game.
Will Vest
Both teams have relied heavily on their bullpens in this series, as A.J. Hinch has done a masterful job piecing together innings in games that his ace doesn’t pitch. One of the top performers for him out of the bullpen has been Will Best in the postseason.
Vest has pitched in five games, and has totaled 5.2 innings, eight strikeouts, and hasn’t allowed a base runner. The reliever has been used in different scenarios depending on matchups, as he has two holds, one save, and one win so far in the postseason. Barring a complete game from their ace in Game 5, Vest will surely see the mound.
Tarik Skubal
Easily the No.1 player to watch on Detroit is going to be their starting pitcher in Game 5, Tarik Skubal. The future American League Cy Young has exceeded all expectations in the playoffs, as he has totaled 13 innings pitched without allowing a run in both of his starts.
In Game 2, the southpaw completely shutdown the Guardians’ offense as he went seven innings and struckout eight batters.
If Skubal is able to go six or seven innings with one run or no-run ball, the Tigers are going to be in excellent shape to win this game and advance to the American League Championship Series.
