CLEVELAND, Ohio — Game 1 of the ALDS is almost here. With time ticking down toward Saturday’s 1:08 p.m. start, answers are starting to reveal themselves.
For a while, manager Stephen Vogt had four or five different lineups working before the Tigers announced that they would start lefty Tyler Holton. That should prevent Vogt from getting writer’s cramp.
The Guardians have a good line on Holton. He has a good line on them as well.
Holton is a reliever who manager A.J. Hinch often uses as an opener/starter. In late September, Holton started consecutive games on Sept. 20 and Sept. 21 against Baltimore.
In the span of seven days in late July against the Guards, Holton made three starts in the role of opener. He pitched a total of 5 2/3 innings and didn’t allow a run as the Tigers won two of the three games.
“He has a slow heartbeat,” said Hinch. “Being able to get anybody out is also key. He’s got pitches for everybody. He can get creative. He can be stubborn. He’s a strike thrower.”
The Guardians will go with a more traditional starter in Tanner Bibee. He’ll be making his first postseason start and fifth of the year against Detroit.
There is also the matter of the 26-man ALDS roster. It must be set by 10 a.m. Saturday.
“We’re going to make it on time,” said Chris Antonetti, president of baseball operations, with a smile.
All those loose threads being rolled into one neat ball should ease Vogt’s mind as he prepares for his first managerial venture into the postseason. Then again maybe not.
Guardians’ Andres Gimenez waits for his turn in the batting cage during Friday’s workout at Progressive Field. The Guardians and Tigers play Game 1 of the ALDS on Saturday.AP
“Until I see their lineup and who they’re pitching and their roster, my work is not done,” said Vogt. “So I don’t think the work ever stops. But I should be able to go to sleep tonight, and I’m excited. It’s like Christmas Eve. Saturday is the day we get to go.”
The ALDS will be be yet another test of the rest vs. playing theory. The Guardians have not played a game since rain canceled their regular season finale on Sunday. The Tigers went right from the end of the regular season to Houston to play the Astros in a best-of-three wild card series. They swept the Astros and were at Progressive Field for Friday’s workout.
Last year Baltimore, Los Angeles and Atlanta lost in the division series after earning first-round byes.
“It’s been great for our guys,” said Vogt. “It’s been great for them to get the rest, the preparation. We’ve been able to really go over some little things and get everybody excited.
“Once we found out we were going to be playing Detroit, it was time to start bearing down and preparing. The guys have put in a great week of work. They’ve worked really hard to make it as game-like as possible. So we feel really good going into tomorrow.”
Hinch has been on both sides of the question.
“I have been in that spot,” said Hinch. “And I’ve gone back and forth, and this year I choose to believe that playing is better than sitting. I may think differently in the future if we’re ever in a better position, but I’m not sure the right route.
“I know what the recent history tells you, and I know most managers that will sit in this chair will take the rest and reset because they get to choose their Game 1 starter. But our series took some innings out of our pitchers, and we’re doing it a little bit differently. So if Stephen (Vogt) is listening, it’s really hard after that time off to get your team ready. So we’re fortunate to be playing.”
Yes, he was kidding Vogt.
He was also kidding when he suggested that Vogt might want to give Jose Ramirez the day off Saturday. Ramirez hit .347 (17 for 49) with five homers and 12 RBI against the Tigers this year. In his career, he is a .304 (171 for 563) hitter with 33 homers and 122 RBI against Detroit.
The Guardians went 7-6 against Detroit in the regular season. They own the best home record in the AL at 50-30.
They are also the youngest team in the big leagues, but they do have postseason experience. Steven Kwan, Josh Naylor, Andres Gimenez, Emmanuel Clase, Austin Hedges, Ramirez, Gabriel Arias, Triston McKenzie and Myles Straw played on Cleveland’s 2023 team that made it to the ALDS, but lost in five games to the Yankees.
Arias, McKenzie and Straw have spent time this week with the Guardians, but it’s unclear if they’ll make the ALDS roster.
All season the Guardians have talked about playing every game like a postseason game. Well, the postseason is here.
“We talked about the hard part’s over, navigating 162 games and winning your division,” said Vogt. “The hard part is over. Now let’s go have fun. Let’s go compete and be who we are and show the world who we are.”
