There’s nothing quite like October baseball, especially at Progressive Field this week when the Cleveland Guardians will take on the Detroit Tigers in the American League Wild Card Series.
Normally, there’s a hint of fall in the air as the month begins. Not this week as temperatures for Tuesday’s 1:08 p.m. pitch are predicted to be 73 degrees and mostly sunny with Wednesday being slightly chilly at 65 and sunny.
As for Game 3 on Thursday, which Cleveland fans certainly aren’t hoping will be needed, say hello once again to the sweet, sweet 70s and a lot of sunshine. In short: it’s the perfect weather for baseball and MLB was generous in scheduling the series for afternoon games. It’s cliché, to say, but here it is regardless: “Play ball!”
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Where will the Guardians-Tigers series air and stream?
ESPN/ABC has the rights to all of MLB’s wild-card series. Fans can watch all of the Guardians-Tigers series on ESPN and via the ESPN streaming app. Should they make it to the division round, Fox Sports’ playoff rights kick in. If the team makes another American League Championship Series appearance as they did last year, the series will air on Fox. And the World Series? Improbable though it may seem – sort of like coming back from 15.5 games to take the division – Fox owns those broadcast rights as well.
Who are the ESPN announcers for the Guardians-Tigers American League Wild Card Series?
Sean McDonough, Todd Frazier and Taylor McGregor will be on the call for the series.
McDonough, with the exception of a three-year stint at CBS, has been at ESPN since 1989 where he’s covered college and professional sports, including football, golf and hockey.
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Color analyst Todd Frazier spent his 11-year MLB career with seven teams including the Cincinnati Reds and is a former MLB Home Run Derby champion. He began his ESPN career broadcasting the Little League World Series in 2022.
McGregor will be between the lines for broadcasts as the on-field reporter. She’s been with the network since 2019 and serves primarily as a sideline reporter for college football and UFL coverage.
Guardians begin wild-card playoffs Tuesday at Progressive Field. Here is the full Guardians-Tigers wild-card series schedule
Tuesday, Sept. 30
Wednesday, Oct. 1
Thursday, Oct. 2
ALDS and NLDS begins this upcoming weekend
Best of five series
Saturday Oct. 4
Sunday, Oct. 5
Monday, Oct. 6
Tuesday, Oct. 7
Wednesday, Oct. 8
*If necessary
Thursday, Oct. 9
*If necessary
Friday, Oct. 10
Saturday, Oct. 11
*If necessary
Schedule for the American League, National League championship series
ALCS schedule 2025
Best-of-seven series hosted by the better seed.
*If necessary
NLCS schedule 2025
Best-of-seven series hosted by the better seed.
*If necessary
The World Series is slated to begin Oct. 24
World Series schedule 2025
Best-of-seven series hosted by the team with the better record.
*If necessary
CONTRIBUTING: Detroit Free Press, USA TODAY
George M. Thomas covers a myriad of things including sports and pop culture, but mostly sports, he thinks, for the Beacon Journal.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Cleveland Guardians begin Wild Card playoffs on ESPN, announcers chosen, start times set
Reporting by George M. Thomas, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
