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3 Tigers most to blame for crushing ALDS loss to Mariners
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- 3 Tigers most to blame for crushing ALDS loss to Mariners
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The Detroit Tigers saw their 2025 season end in heartbreaking fashion, falling 3-2 to the Seattle Mariners in a 15-inning Game 5 marathon Friday night. The loss extended the franchise's 41-year World Series drought and highlighted both its potential and its shortcomings. Three players — Kyle Finnegan , Tyler Holton , and Spencer Torkelson — stood out as the most responsible for the defeat.
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The Tigers looked in control early behind Tarik Skubal's 13-strikeout masterpiece and a two-run homer from Kerry Carpenter . But once the reigning Cy Young Award winner left after six innings, the Tigers' bullpen collapse began. Finnegan entered with a one-run lead and quickly lost command, walking Jorge Polanco and giving up a single before being pulled. The tying run later crossed the plate, erasing Skubal's dominance and shifting momentum toward Seattle.
Holton, a 29-year-old lefty, followed but failed to stop the damage. Tasked with recording a single out to preserve Detroit's lead, he surrendered a game-tying RBI single to Leo Rivas . It was a familiar theme throughout the series as Holton's inability to execute in key spots left the bullpen exposed. His postseason ERA skyrocketed above six, and the missed opportunity forced the team into nine more innings of stress they could not overcome.
At the plate, Torkelson's struggles defined the Tigers' offensive woes. The cleanup hitter went 0-for-6 with four strikeouts in Game 5 and finished the series batting .188 with no home runs. His failure to produce in key moments mirrored the team's overall issues as Detroit hit just .178 with runners in scoring position throughout the series.
The sting of 2025's costly mistakes will linger after a year that once looked promising. The Tigers blew a 15.5-game lead in July and lost the AL Central title on the final day of the regular season to the Cleveland Guardians , then watched their postseason end in similar heartbreak. Skubal's brilliance and Carpenter's timely power were overshadowed by bullpen inconsistency and a lack of clutch hitting when it mattered most.
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As the Tigers look ahead to the 2026 season, questions remain about bullpen reliability, lineup balance, and whether the 26-year-old first baseman can become the postseason anchor Detroit needs. For now, the lasting memory of the 2025 ALDS is one of missed opportunity and a 41-year drought that still haunts Motown baseball.
Related: Insider asks fans Tarik Skubal trade question after Tigers' playoff elimination
Related: Tigers first baseman Spencer Torkelson's 'heartbreaking' reaction to ALDS loss
