MLB Baseball
2025-10-02 - Detroit Tigers at Cleveland Guardians
A Sports Betting Pick by FirstDown
United States : MLB Baseball Playoff Wild Card Game 3
Thursday 2nd October 2025 - Scheduled 3pm
8pm (British Time)
Preview
There was a key moment in the middle of Game 2 when it looked like the Detroit Tigers had driven in two runs to take the lead- a review overturned the decision and ruled out the second of those runs and meant the game remain tied.
Keeping the Cleveland Guardians hanging around has proved to be a problem in the regular season and means this Wild Card Series is being hosted by this team rather than the Detroit Tigers and a Game 3 was forced by a surge at the bottom of the Eighth Inning.
The Tigers had more hits than the Cleveland Guardians, while the latter made two errors, but it is the hosts who found the big plays at the right time to rally and secure Game 2.
Now Cleveland try to take aim at some recent history where the Wild Card Series Winner has very much been the team that has taken Game 1 of the Series. Even forcing a Game 3 is a little bit of a win with the number of recent sweeps, but this will all count for very little if the Guardians are not playing in Seattle this weekend.
They will give the ball to Slade Cecconi to start Game 3, a third year Major League pitcher who finished the regular season with a 4.30 ERA. In two starts against the Detroit Tigers, Cecconi was able to go 12 Innings and allow just three earned runs, although there is little doubt that the bullpen will be ready to step in as soon as required in a winner takes all setting.
The Playoff experience is limited to 2 relief Innings in 2023 when a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks, but Slade Cecconi is feeling confident with being handed the ball from the opener of this big game.
It is a different story for the Detroit Tigers starter who has not only pitched in the post-season before, but Jack Flaherty opened on the mound twice in the World Series last season with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He was the starter when the Championship was clinched in New York, although Flaherty finished with a 1-2 record and a 7.36 ERA in the five Playoff starts made in 2024.
He had left Detroit in a mid-season trade to the Dodgers, although has admitted that he did not want to leave, and Jack Flaherty signed back up for the Tigers ahead of this season. The pitcher had a 4.64 ERA in the regular season, while Jack Flaherty suffered the decision loss in all three games played against the Cleveland Guardians and gave up seven runs in 16 Innings thrown.
That includes concluding the regular season with back to back decision losses to this American League Central rival- the most recent was Jack Flaherty giving up three runs when being pulled out in the Fifth Inning in this ballpark on September 24th.
Prediction
Make no mistake about it- every healthy arm available to both Managers has to be ready to be deployed in this Game 3 of the Wild Card Round in the 2025 Playoffs.
The bullpen edge is with the Cleveland Guardians and that may end up being the difference with both starters likely to be on relatively short leashes.
It was the Tigers bullpen that collapsed in Game 2 and so there is pressure on Jack Flaherty to get through a number of Innings. However, he had a tough time in the post-season in 2024, despite the Los Angeles Dodgers finishing up as World Champions, and Jack Flaherty has struggled to contain this Cleveland team in the regular season, including in back to back starts to conclude the regular season a little over a week ago.
After the bats were uncorked on Wednesday, the Guardians can get after Jack Flaherty again, although there have to be some doubts about how long they will give their own starter Slade Cecconi.
However, it is the bullpen that has shown it can take over and the Cleveland Guardians can become a rare Game 1 loser who comes through this best of three Round.
The Pick :
Cleveland Guardians 5-4 Detroit Tigers
