The Tigers host the Guardians in Game 3, bringing the MLB playoffs back to the Motor City

DETROIT (AP) — The Motor City hasn't hosted a playoff baseball game in a decade.

The long wait is almost over.

The Detroit Tigers play the Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday, drawing one game in the best-of-five AL Division Series, ending a losing streak that dates back to 2014.

“There's a whole generation of kids here that haven't seen postseason baseball live,” Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris said Tuesday. “Hopefully they’ll be loud from the first pitch. I’ve seen the fans help us win games and I’m really excited to see what they can do.”

The Guardians have a player making a long-awaited return in the postseason.

Alex Cobb last appeared in the playoffs in 2013, when he started two games for Tampa Bay, a wild-card win against Cleveland and a Division Series loss against Boston.

The 37-year-old right-hander had hip surgery on Oct. 31 of last year and had not yet returned to the mound when he was acquired from San Francisco at the July 30 trade deadline.

The 2023 All-Star made his season debut on August 9th and was sidelined after two games due to a torn nail on his right index finger. He did not allow an earned run through six innings in his comeback on September 1 against Pittsburgh and then ended up back on the injured list with a blister on his right middle finger that ended his regular season. He was 2-1 with a 2.76 ERA in three games and 16 1/3 innings for the Guardians.

“There’s probably no one in these playoffs who appreciates it more than me after being out of it for so long,” Cobb said.

He prepared for the playoffs with two simulated games.

“I lived and died on every single pitch of those two simulation games to give them confidence that I was ready,” Cobb said.

Cobb, pitching for his fifth major league team, said he was ready for the challenge and opportunity.

“I think the type of team we have gives you a little bit more confidence,” he said. “We have the best defense in baseball, the best bullpen in baseball.”

Detroit evened the series on Monday when Kerry Carpenter hit a three-run home run in the ninth off All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase to secure a 3-0 win over the AL Central champions.

Tigers manager AJ Hinch plans to use a lot of pitchers for about an inning on Wednesday, as he did twice in the playoffs and in a number of regular-season games. After trading pitchers Jack Flaherty and Andrew Chafin along with outfielder Mark Canha at the deadline in what appeared to be a move forward, the Tigers went on a 31-13 run to clinch a wild card.

Detroit used seven pitchers to knock off AL West champion Houston and complete a two-game wild-card sweep for its first postseason series win since 2013. Detroit then had five on the mound in Saturday's division opener Series lost 0:7.

“We don’t really call them bullpen days,” Harris said. “We've been trying to find a strategy that fits our pitching staff, and if you look at that pitching staff right now, we're pretty lacking in stuff and depth, but lacking in experience.

“A non-traditional pitching approach helps many young pitchers adapt more quickly to playing at this level. Coming out of the bullpen also took some pressure off some of our young starters. And it gives AJ the opportunity to be a little more unpredictable for opponents.”

Hinch did not announce who will start for Detroit, but said he plans to let the Guardians know by the end of their practice on Tuesday.

“We obviously make a game plan to start with, and then the second and third time around you kind of get a feel for it,” Cleveland All-Star outfielder Steven Kwan said. “But since it’s a new arm every time, it’s different.”

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