Postseason splitter usage has exploded. Splitters now comprise 6% of pitches (about 17.4 per game), up 81% from the regular season and 138% from last year’s postseason. Toronto has leaned hardest, with 15.9% of its pitches being splitters; the Yankees were crushed by them, going 1-for-27. Detroit rode three splitters to a win, feeding Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodríguez heavy doses. Manny Machado’s splitter homer is the only one surrendered this postseason. Fastballs are down and splitters are rising, with opponents slugging .303 off splitters versus .414 off heaters, and just one homer allowed off a splitter all postseason.

In short, the splitter has evolved from niche to weaponry in October, driven by teams aiming away from hard contact and toward low-zone strikes. Expect bullpen-heavy plans, rising splitter counts, and continued emphasis on manipulating hitters' timing in the biggest games of the year.

Detroit's offense finally clicked in Game 4, as Javier Báez fueled a midgame surge with a homer, a stolen base and four RBIs, lifting the Tigers to a 9-3 win that evened the ALDS at 2-2. Riley Greene added his first postseason homer, and Gleyber Torres joined the scoring parade. The comeback erased an early 3-0 deficit, and Detroit showcased depth beyond its slump. Tarik Skubal is set to start Game 5 in Seattle, offering a championship pedigree and a needed lockdown performance.

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 pull away with a five-run eighth to beat Detroit 6-1 and even the AL Wild Card series. Detroit’s offense collapses with a franchise postseason-record 15 left on base, going 1-for-15 with runners in scoring position, while Javier Báez provides the Tigers’ lone hit in the fourth. Brayan Rocchio belts a go-ahead homer in the eighth as Steven Kwan and Daniel Schneemann add back-to-back doubles and Bo Naylor caps it with a three-run shot. A video-replay two-base play on McKinstry causes a late delay, and Greene watches a pinch-hit move for Jahmai Jones.

Detroit’s pitchers Casey Mize, Tyler Holton and Kyle Finnegan shut Cleveland down for seven innings before the eighth, but Troy Melton and Brant Hurter faltered in relief. The Tigers’ aggressiveness on the bases keeps the game tight early, but Cleveland's bullpen locks it down late. Hinch’s decision to pinch-hit for Riley Greene in the seventh becomes a talking point as the Guardians seize control and shift momentum into the decisive Game 3.