Editor’s note: Read about the Tigers’ loss to the Mariners and what went wrong with analysis from Tigers beat writer Evan Petzold here.
It was a bumpy trip, but the Detroit Tigers have made it back home for the 2025 MLB playoffs.
It wasn’t the homecoming they were hoping for, however.
The Tigers lost 8-4 to the Seattle Mariners in Game 3 of the ALDS on Tuesday, Oct. 7, at Comerica Park in Detroit. Back-to-back two-run innings in the third and fourth for the Mariners got Seattle an early four-run lead.
The game was scheduled for a 4:08 p.m. ET start time, but rainy weather delayed the start to 7 p.m.
The Mariners now have a 2-1 series lead after the Tigers won Game 1 on Saturday night, 3-2, and the Mariners struck back Sunday night with a 3-2 victory in Game 2.
The Tigers now face a must-win Game 4 on Wednesday if they want to advance to the ALCS for the first time since 2013. They are currently six wins from reaching the World Series for the first time since 2012. The Tigers last won the World Series in 1984.
The Mariners have never played in a World Series since debuting in 1977.
Watch Tigers-Mariners on Fubo
The Tigers turned to veteran starter Jack Flaherty for Game 3, and the Mariners went with the tall righty Logan Gilbert. Flaherty gave up four runs (three earned) in his 3⅓ innings of work, walking three batters and striking out six.
Gilbert, meanwhile, gave up just one run on four hits while striking out seven over six innings.
Here’s how a critical Game 3 unfolded on Tuesday.
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FINAL: Mariners 8, Tigers 4
Don’t call it a comeback — at least not a successful one.
The Tigers put up three runs in the ninth inning with pinch hitters providing an offensive spark, but couldn’t overcome the Mariners once Seattle put in its closer Andrés Muñoz, who forced a game-ending double play with a line drive off the bat of Parker Meadows.
With the loss, the Tigers are down 2-1 in the series and will play a must-win Game 4 on Wednesday.
Spencer Torkelson with two RBIs in the ninth
Bottom 9th: Mariners 8, Tigers 3
With the lefty reliever Caleb Ferguson in the game, Tigers manager A.J. Hinch emptied the bench, with Jake Rogers reaching on a leadoff single pinch-hitting for Colt Keith. Jahmai Jones, pinch-hitting for Riley Greene, then reached via a walk, putting two runners on with no one out for Spencer Torkelson.
Torkelson’s opposite-field double scored both runners, making the score 8-3. Andy Ibáñez, pinch-hitting for Zach McKinstry, then drove in Torkelson with a single to make it a four-run game.
The Mariners have replaced Ferguson with closer Andrés Muñoz. There are still no outs in the inning.
Cal Raleigh goes yard
Top 9th: Mariners 8, Tigers 1
Well, it was inevitable.
Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, the American League leader in home runs this season with 60, hit a two-run opposite-field home run in the top of the ninth inning for his first of the postseason. It traveled 391 feet and marked his third RBI of the game.
Mariners are up 8-1.
Many Tigers fans leaving Comerica Park early
It was a sellout tonight at Comerica Park, with an announced attendance of over 41,000 fans. But you wouldn’t be able to tell looking at the stands tonight.
With the Tigers putting together three straight innings without a baserunner, fans in orange and blue are starting to head to the exits in the final inning.
J.P. Crawford with second RBI after Kerry Carpenter error
Middle 8th: Mariners 6, Tigers 1
Tigers reliever Keider Montero looked like he was cruising in the eighth inning after getting Eugenio Suárez to ground out to shortstop Javier Báez. However, he hit pinch-hitter Luke Raley in his next at-bat, and then a line drive off the bat of Victor Robles bounced out of the glove of right fielder Kerry Carpenter, with the error putting runners on second and third with one out instead of one runner on first with two outs.
J.P. Crawford hit a sacrifice fly to left field to score Raley from third base, giving the Mariners a 6-1 lead. The Tigers caught Robles trying to steal third to end the inning, and it seems pretty likely we’ll see Montero out again for the ninth inning.
Keider Montero breezing through batters
Middle 7th: Mariners 5, Tigers 1
Tigers reliever Keider Montero has faced five batters so far and gotten four of them out with relative ease, only allowing a walk to second baseman Jorge Polanco in the seventh.
With the Tigers still down by four runs, Montero can give the Tigers needed length towards the end of this game, preserving the team’s highest-leverage relievers (Will Vest, Kyle Finnegan) for tomorrow’s game should the Tigers offense not mount a comeback.
And the way the bats are swinging tonight, it might be best not to bet on that comeback.
J.P. Crawford hits solo home run
Middle 6th: Mariners 5, Tigers 1
J.P. Crawford hit a two-out solo home run off lefty reliever Brant Hurter to extend the Mariners lead.
That knocked Hurter out of the game, with Keider Montero replacing him and getting the third out of the inning on a Randy Arozarena strikeout.
Javier Báez scores first Tigers run
End 5th: Mariners 4, Tigers 1
Dillon Dingler led off the fifth inning with a hit-by-pitch and Parker Meadows advanced him over to second base on a sacrifice bunt, though Meadows was likely trying to reach on a bunt single. Javier Báez then got Dingler to third on a bloop single to shallow right field, bringing Game 1 hero Kerry Carpenter up to the plate with one out.
Carpenter then looked like he had grounded into an inning-ending double play, with second baseman Jorge Polanco turning it to shortstop J.P. Crawford at second base. But an errant throw by Crawford brought first baseman Josh Naylor off the bag, and the umpire ruled Carpenter safe as Naylor bobbled the catch. Báez scored from third on the play, giving the Tigers their first run of the game.
Logan Gilbert goes 1-2-3 in the fourth
End 4th: Mariners 4, Tigers 0
With the middle of the order up to bat, the Tigers went strikeout-flyout-strikeout against Logan Gilbert in the bottom of the fourth. Non-Gleyber Torres batters are now 1-for-13 against Gilbert so far this game.
Tigers lefty reliever Brant Hurter is in the game to replace Tommy Kahnle.
Cal Raleigh adds an RBI single
Middle 4th: Mariners 4, Tigers 0
Kahnle walked J.P. Crawford to put a second runner on base to start his outing, and he followed that with a strikeout of Randy Arozarena to get out No. 2. A two-out Cal Raleigh single, however, gave the Mariners their fourth run of the game.
The Mariners looked like they were about to put up runs 5, 6 and 7 off the bat of Julio Rodríguez as he sent a loud fly ball to left field, but the ball hung up in the air long enough for Riley Greene to make a sliding catch for the third out of the inning.
The lead is starting to look too big for this Tigers offense to come back from, unless the bats show a spark they haven’t found at all this series.
Tommy Kahnle in for Jack Flaherty
Top 4th: Mariners 3, Tigers 0
Flaherty’s final batter faced ended in a strikeout to the No. 8 hitter Victor Robles for the first out in the fourth inning. His night is done after 3⅓ innings, allowing four hits, three runs (two earned), walking three and striking out six.
Right-handed reliever Tommy Kahnle is in to relieve Flaherty.
Eugenio Suárez hits solo home run
Top 4th: Mariners 3, Tigers 0
Mariners third baseman Eugenio Suárez led off the fourth inning with a solo home run off Flaherty to make the score 3-0. It’s his first hit of the postseason.
Suárez hit 49 home runs in the regular season, 13 for Seattle following a midseason trade from the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Gleyber Torres hits a double, stranded at second base
End 3rd: Mariners 2, Tigers 0
Gleyber Torres is raking so far.
Torres smacked a two-out double that reached the wall in left-center field, putting a Tigers runner in scoring position for the first time. But Colt Keith flew out to center field to end the third inning scoreless for the Tigers.
Jack Flaherty settles down in third
End 3rd: Mariners 2, Tigers 0
After giving up two runs (one earned) earlier in the inning, Flaherty settled down against the middle of the Mariners order. With runners on first and second base, Flaherty struck out Julio Rodríguez and Jorge Polanco for his fourth and fifth strikeouts of the evening, and then got first baseman Josh Naylor to fly out deep to center fielder Parker Meadows.
It was another long inning for Flaherty, who is up to 63 pitches through three innings, with the Tigers warming up lefty Brant Hurter after the Mariners scored their two runs. But it could have been a lot worse, with the Tigers offense facing a manageable deficit.
J.P. Crawford gives Mariners an early lead
Top 3rd: Mariners 2, Tigers 0
Mariners right fielder Victor Robles began the third inning with a double down the left field line that just sailed above Zach McKinstry’s glove at third base. A J.P. Crawford single to left field advanced Robles to third, and an errant throw from left fielder Riley Greene allowed Robles to score.
The play at home was close and the Tigers challenged the call unsuccesfully, giving the Mariners a 1-0 lead and putting Crawford at second base. That ended up being a crucial bag when a Randy Arozarena single drove in Crawford and gave the Mariners a 2-0 lead.
Logan Gilbert strands one runner
End 2nd: Tigers 0, Mariners 0
Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler hit a two-out single up the middle that popped up the lip of the infield behind shortstop J.P. Crawford, giving Detroit its second hit of the day.
Center fielder Parker Meadows then worked a 3-2 count against Gilbert but struck out on a fastball down the middle of the plate to end the inning.
Jack Flaherty strikes out two more
Middle 2nd: Tigers 0, Mariners 0
Flaherty got back to his spinny ways in the second inning, striking out second baseman Jorge Polanco on a curveball for the first out of the frame.
First baseman Josh Naylor made Flaherty work, ripping seven foul balls in his first plate appearance against the righty. But on the 11th pitch of the at-bat, Naylor grounded out to second baseman Gleyber Torres for the second out of the inning.
After a two-out walk to third baseman Eugenio Suárez, he went back to the curveball to strike out designated hitter Dominic Canzone to end the inning. Flaherty now has 37 pitches through a quick first inning and a lenghty second, with three strikeouts and one walk.
Tigers offense scoreless in first
End 1st: Tigers 0, Mariners 0
A one-out single from second baseman Gleyber Torres got a runner on for the Tigers in the first inning, but Torres was erased on a fielders choice off a hard ground ball from designated hitter Colt Keith. Riley Greene struck out to end the inning, and we are scoreless after one inning.
Jack Flaherty pitches 1-2-3 first inning
Middle 1st: Tigers 0, Mariners 0
Left fielder Randy Arozarena led off the game with what looked to be an infield single that just beat the throw from second baseman Gleyber Torres … or so we thought, as the umpire initially ruled.
The Tigers challenged the call, and after a review the call was overturned. Flaherty got catcher Cal Raleigh to fly out to right field on the next pitch and then got center fielder Julio Rodríguez to strike out on a check swing.
It’s a super-efficient eight-pitch inning for Flaherty to start.
Tigers fans waving orange towels
The Tigers have handed out orange towels to their fans to wave in the stands tonight, and the fans are out waving them during pregame intros about 15 minutes before the scheduled first pitch.
First pitch scheduled for 7 p.m. ET
The Tigers have announced that Game 3 of the ALDS between the Tigers and Mariners will start at 7 p.m. ET.
The rain appears to have paused at Comerica Park for now, but according to AccuWeather there is still a 64% chance of rain at 7 p.m. ET.
The Comerica Park grounds crew made an appearance around 6 p.m. (with a small roar from the crowd) as they begin the work of removing the tarp from the field.
Jason Benetti taking rain delay questions on Comerica Park jumbotron
During the regular season, rain-delayed Tigers games would often be paired with Rain Delay Questions, a recurring segment on the FanDuel Sports Network broadcast led by Tigers lead play-by-play announcer Jason Benetti.
With Benetti not on the broadcast, however, the Tigers have jerry-rigged an impromptu video conference call with Benetti, color commentator Andy Dirks and sideline reporter Daniella Bruce running a lo-fi version of Rain Delay Questions broadcasted on the Comerica Park jumbotron.
Tigers channel for ALDS Game 3 vs Mariners will be on FS2
Not long after it was announced Game 3 of the rain-delayed Tigers-Mariners series would be aired on FS2 would be aired on FS2 once Game 3 of the Yankees-Blue Jays series started, a new shift in programming has been made.
Per Fox Sports, the entirety of the Tigers-Mariners game will air on FS2 and MLB Network, regardless of when it starts.
Game will move to FS2 if delay runs past 8 p.m.
Per The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand, the Tigers-Mariners game will move from FS1 to FS2 if it continues into the Yankees-Blue Jays game, which begins at 8:08 p.m. ET.
And considering the rain likely won’t let up until at least 7 p.m., there’s a very good chance that will happen.
Rain still falling
Rain is still falling at Comerica Park, and we don’t have an updated start time yet.
According to AccuWeather, the chance of rain falls to 49% at 7 p.m. ET and to 0% at 8 p.m. So while we don’t yet know when the game will start, there’s a very good chance we’ll get all of Game 3 in by the end of the night.
Tigers Game 4 weather forecast
The rain has delayed first pitch for Game 3, though we still don’t know by when it will start.
Thankfully, the weather should only affect Game 3 in Detroit, with AccuWeather predicting clear skies and a 0% chance of rain in Detroit on Wednesday for Game 4.
And if this series goes to a Game 5 in Seattle on Friday, it might come with rain as well — though there should be no delay since T-Mobile Park has a retractable roof.
No update on start time
Had there not been a rain delay, today’s Game 3 between the Tigers and Mariners would have already started.
But with the rain still falling and the tarp still on the field, the delay continues. We’re also still waiting for a newly-announced start time, which the Tigers have not yet provided.
Logan Gilbert vs Tigers all-time
Logan Gilbert has good career numbers against the Tigers all time, especially in 2025, where he put up a 2.61 ERA in 10⅓ innings over two starts against Detroit. Here’s how he has done against today’s Tigers lineup.
Casey Mize vs Mariners all-time
Mize has had mixed results against the Seattle Mariners in four career starts, with great numbers against the team’s two best hitters but huge struggles against one hitter in particular. Here’s how he has fared against today’s lineup.
Tigers-Mariners ALDS Game 3 is officially delayed
With rain in the forecast around 4 p.m., the Tigers have announced that today’s ALDS Game 3, originally set to start at 4:08 p.m., has been delayed.
The Tigers have yet to announce a new start time.
Comerica Park gates open
As the rain calms and the wind continues to blow in Detroit, fans are now rolling into Comerica Park for the first Tigers home playoff game of 2025.
Tigers manager A.J. Hinch: “We’re going to play.”
Tigers manager A.J. Hinch is optimistic the Tigers and Mariners will play Game 3 on Tuesday, though he doesn’t know for sure when the game will start.
“We don’t know exactly when we’re going to start,” Hinch said. “Right now, it’s on time. I think I’m going to get an update as we get closer to game time.”
No announcement has been made yet regarding a delay, so we’re currently still on for first pitch at 4:08 p.m. ET.
Tigers vs Mariners odds, betting lines in Game 3 of ALDS
Despite going on the road for the first time in the 2025 postseason, the Mariners are a betting favorite in Game 3.
Odds provided by BetMGM as of Tuesday afternoon.
Tigers-Mariners ALDS Game 4 and Game 5 start times could change
Game 4 of the ALDS between the Tigers and the Mariners is currently scheduled for 3:08 p.m. ET at Comerica Park. But that could change depending on the outcome of the other ALDS between the Toronto Blue Jays and the New York Yankees.
If the Blue Jays win tonight (Game 3 at 8:08 p.m. ET on FS1), they will have swept the series and leave the Tigers-Mariners series as the last remaining ALDS matchup. That would move Wednesday’s Tigers-Mariners Game 4 at Comerica Park to 7:08 p.m. ET, with the broadcast staying on FS1.
If there is no Game 5 between the Blue Jays and the Yankees, and if there is a Game 5 between the Tigers and Mariners, Friday’s Game 5 in Seattle would begin at 8:08 p.m. ET (currently scheduled for 4:40 p.m. ET) with the broadcast moving from FS1 to Fox.
Mariners lineup released
The big question for the Mariners lineup entering Game 3 was the status of first baseman Josh Naylor, whose wife is expecting a baby.
That question was answered, however, with Naylor’s inclusion in today’s Mariners lineup.
Tigers lineup released
The Tigers are leading off with their best hitter by wRC+ so far this postseason, with Kerry Carpenter at the top of the lineup.
Meanwhile, Javier Báez, who leads the Tigers with six hits this postseason, is batting in the No. 9 position.
What channel is Tigers vs Mariners Game 3 today?
Mariners vs Tigers streaming link
Here’s how you can stream the MLB playoffs.
Tigers vs Mariners probable pitchers in Game 3
The Tigers-Mariners Game 3 pitching matchup Tuesday afternoon in Detroit is set:
Flaherty tossed 4⅔ innings of one-run ball Thursday in Game 3 of the wild-card series against the Cleveland Guardians.
Gilbert has made one postseason start in his career. In 2022, he allowed three runs in 5⅓ innings in Game 1 of the ALDS against the Houston Astros. He was the 2025 Opening Day starter for the Mariners.
Tigers vs Mariners schedule playoff series
Best-of-five series, all times Eastern.
*If necessary
Tigers vs Mariners probable pitchers for ALDS
Here are the starting pitchers for the rest of the playoff series between the Tigers and Mariners:
*If necessary
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You can reach Christian at cromo@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers fall 8-4 to Seattle Mariners in Game 3 of the ALDS
Reporting by Christian Romo, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
