The Gritty Kitties found their offensive stroke on Wednesday, and now we head back to Seattle for a deciding Game 5.
The Detroit Tigers tied up the American League Divisional Series with the Mariners to win Game 4 at two games apiece. We’re now set for Friday’s showdown to see who’ll book their spot for the ALCS.
Here are the game’s main takeaways.
1. Offensive Onslaught Helps Detroit
The Tigers had another quiet showing through the first four innings, and it seemed the Mariners were cruising and on their way to a series-clinching win.
But then Detroit tied things up in the fifth with a three-run showing and the home team were back in business. A big sixth inning ensued that included Riley Greene’s two-run homer and Javier Baéz’s solo shot. Gleyber Torres then hit an opposite-field shot in the 7th to effectively seal the game.
Riley Greene & Javy Báez Go Deep as Tigers Erupt for Four-Run Inning, take 7-3 Lead Over Mariners
After scoring just nine runs in the first three games, the Tigers equaled that tally in Game 4. It’s as good an offensive stretch as you could ask for, but the Tigers need to score earlier in Game 5. Of their 18 runs scored in this series, all have come in the fifth inning or later.
2. Mariners bullpen spoils Bryce Miller’s outing
Bryce Miller had a rough 2025 season after a strong 2024, but was efficient and in control against the Tigers for his first four innings. The fifth didn’t go as well – Miller allowed an RBI double before he was lifted at 55 pitches, and his bequeathed runner scored – but it’s difficult to argue with what he provided, considering.
Nonetheless, the bullpen has to do better than it did in relief with the series on the line. The rest of the Mariners relievers — Gabe Spier, Eduard Bazudo, Carlos Vargas, and Luke Jackson — gave up seven earned runs (including three homers) and only fanned two batters.
Bryce Miller initially held it down for the Mariners before the Tigers broke the game open. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
It’s difficult to overstate the change in performance for Miller from year to year: in ‘24, he produced a 2.94 ERA in 180 innings over 31 starts, striking out 3.8 times as many batters as he walked while allowing one home run per nine innings. In ’25, though, Miller saw his strikeout rate drop a full K per nine, with his fastball working significantly less effectively, and it resulted in a 5.68 ERA across 18 starts. While he overperformed expectations last season, his adjusted ERA – Fielding Independent Pitching in this case – was 3.58, so it’s not as if he was looking at a major regression in performance. In 2025, his FIP sat at 5.17 – he just did not pitch well.
With all of that in mind, 4.1 innings with a pair of runs allowed before handing it off to the bullpen is work the Mariners would take every time from Miller this postseason, given he’s their fourth option.
3. Josh Naylor’s bat woke up
This was just the fourth game of the postseason for the Mariners, but through the first three, trade deadline acquisition and first baseman Josh Naylor had yet to record a hit. That changed from the outset in Game 4, as Naylor doubled in the second and then scored on a Dominic Canzone single, then his next time up singled and came around to score Seattle’s second run, too.
Naylor isn’t known for his defense, but he recorded an unassisted double play in the bottom of the fourth, as well, helping to snuff out a possible Tigers’ rally against starter Bryce Miller, and another later when Kerry Carpenter’s 6-foot-1, 220-pound frame crashed into Naylor on the basepath at first, with Naylor and his own considerable bulk holding onto the ball for the out despite that.
Getting him back on track lengthens an already dangerous Mariners’ lineup, as he complements the huge sluggers – Cal Raleigh and Eugenio Suarez – in a similar fashion to Julio Rodriguez, Jorge Polanco and Randy Arozarena.
4. Magic Night for ‘El Mago’
At the center of the Tigers’ performance in this game was Javy Baéz, who went 2-for-4 with a home run and 4 RBI, which is a postseason career high for the three-time All-Star.
The fourth RBI was especially notable as Baéz rumbled down the first baseline to beat out a double-play ball in the eighth to score McKinstry, who had collected his third hit.
The Tigers struggled in September, posting the worst record in the AL for the month at 7-17, but this was a team that went 80-58 the rest of the season. They have the pieces with a veteran core from top to bottom of their lineup, and that starts with Baéz.
4 ½. Skubal Comin’
And with the series on the line, the pitching matchup will assuredly be in the favor of the Tigers. AL Cy Young frontrunner Tarik Skubal will take the mound for Detroit.
The Tigers have a 22-11 record in the 33 games started by Skubal in 2025, combining the regular season and postseason — though the Tigers have lost four of his last five starts.
And facing Seattle hasn’t been easy for the Tigers ace and former Seattle University product. In his 2025 outings at T-Mobile Park, the Tigers have lost all three games.
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