Detroit hands rookie Troy Melton the ball for Game 1 of the ALDS against Seattle, opting for a young arm over a rest-weary veteran plan. Melton debuted in July, logged 3-2 with a 2.76 ERA in 45 2/3 innings, and showed a 96.8 mph four-seam fastball with a heavy fastball usage that ranks high among the Tigers’ staff. His only playoff inning previously ended with four runs, but Detroit plans to ride him with support from a bullpen capable of covering early sections and a lineup that has built flexibility around him.

Melton’s path from fourth-round pick in 2022 to major-league starter in 2024 underscores Detroit’s risk-tavorable scouting, and his mix of power velo with slider and cutter gives him swing-and-miss upside even in a short outing. The Tigers will lean on his heater while monitoring leash length in Seattle’s ballpark, aiming to minimize exposure to the lineup that will clash with him in a do-or-die environment. Fantasy-wise, Melton is a contrarian dart with upside but limited inning expectation in a Game 1 environment.

Guardians evened the AL Wild Card series by routing Detroit 6-1, turning six hits into six runs behind a stingy bullpen and a repeatable game plan that kept Tigers off the bases. Cleveland wiggled out of trouble all afternoon, stranding 15 runners and flipping the momentum in their favor.

Game 3 in Cleveland pits Slade Cecconi against Jack Flaherty, with Detroit as a slight underdog but clear path to vengeance if they string hits together. Key fantasy angles center on McKinstry, Torkelson, Kwan and Ramirez, plus the potential for a high-leverage bullpen battle that could swing the outcome.

Betting angles focus on the 7.0 total and Guardians at -1.5, with a lean toward Detroit +1.5 in a winner-take-all scenario. The series winner will meet Seattle in the next round, making every at-bat a potential shift in the odds and in fantasy value across both lineups.

Day of Aces chaos ruled the postseason bullpen picture. San Diego’s Mike Shildt turned to Mason Miller as a true weapon, unleashing him in back-to-back eighths to erase danger with velocity and a brutal slider. Detroit’s A.J. Hinch, short on swing-and-miss, overextended his bullpen, leaning on relievers with limited whiffs and paying for late damage in Cleveland. In sudden-death, bullpen depth and the right arms matter as much as starters.