Detroit’s season ends in heartbreak as Tarik Skubal’s playoff dominance is paused by a Game 5 exit that many blame on A.J. Hinch’s quick pull after 99 pitches. The loss casts a pall over the winter ahead and raises big questions about Hinch’s risk calculus and Detroit’s near-term plans.

Skubal’s looming free agency after 2026 looms large. With Boras guiding the process, the Tigers’ window to win may hinge on whether they commit long-term to him or let another club chase his big contract. The Tigers face a crucial offseason at the winter meetings, balancing payroll, rotation needs, and the best chance to keep Skubal in Detroit—or watch him go elsewhere.

Dodgers lean into starting-pitcher dominance, turning a rotation into the core engine of the playoff attack. Yamamoto’s Game 2 complete game and Snell’s sustained long outings illustrate a plan to accumulate innings, suppress offenses, and render the bullpen largely moot. The result is a historically deep, high-leverage rotation that drains opponents and elevates fantasy value across multiple starters.

Coupled with extensions of Ohtani, Glasnow, and a reshaped bullpen such as Kershaw, Sasaki, and Sheehan, the Dodgers project an innings-heavy model that stands out even in today’s openers era. With a 1.54 playoff ERA from the top four, this is a potential repeat-champion blueprint that fantasy managers must weigh when rostering Dodgers arms.

Mitch Garver anchors Seattle’s ALCS mood, delivering veteran guidance while embracing a bigger role in a loose, hungry clubhouse. The Rams? Not the team, but the mindset: keep the gas down, execute the small things, and ride a surgically cohesive group toward Seattle’s first World Series in 48 years.

George Kirby starts Game 3 with four days’ rest as Bryan Woo eyes a potential return. The energy centers on Julio Rodríguez’s spark, Garver’s leadership, and a squad that’s refused to panic after leaving Toronto with a 2-0 edge, all while the team’s chemistry fuels calm, relentless pressure at home.

British Columbia’s Mariners fans celebrate a 2-0 ALCS edge over Toronto, turning cross-border chatter into a broader baseball moment as Mariners games become more accessible and the underdog story resonates across Canada.

Personal tales—from Vancouver to Victoria—highlight a fresh, fantasy-friendly narrative: a scrappy Seattle club pushing to finish the job, with cross-border loyalties reshaping how Canadian fans engage with playoff ball.