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    • Reese Olson meets the Guardians
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    Reese Olson meets the Guardians

    Caradoc Wyn Posted on

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    The Detroit Tigers are downright unconventional. After winning Game 2 and taking a 2-1 lead in the ALDS, it’s obviously working, so why change it now?

    Before the Tigers began their playoff run, manager AJ Hinch aptly said that the team would create “pitching chaos” if star Tarik Skubal wasn’t on the mound in the postseason.

    Skubal is the only regular member of the Tigers’ “rotation,” so Hinch and Co. have pursued an opener and bulk reliever strategy since late July, when they traded No. 2 starter Jack Flaherty to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

    Tickets for Tigers-Cle Game 4 can be found on StubHub

    That means guys will be used as both starters and closers. Traditional starting pitchers are used for middle relief, and pretty much any other combination you can think of.

    However, the Tigers opted for a slightly more traditional starting pitcher for Game 4, asking starter Reese Olson to take the mound in the first inning rather than after an opening game as he did recently.

    GAME STORY: One game away! The Detroit Tigers defeated Cleveland 3-0 in ALDS Game 3, now an ALCS win

    The Tigers used bully in the strike zone left-hander Tyler Holton as the opener in both Game 1 of the ALDS and Game 2 of the Wild Card Series, which produced different results. Holton didn’t have a chance against the Astros, but had to fend off the Guardians before giving up to Olson, who gave up a three-run home run in the first inning. Holton won’t start on Thursday, but you can’t rule out another appearance for him in Game 4, even after he made the save in Game 3.

    Olson will begin a four-day break after going five innings in Saturday’s Game 1 loss.

    Aside from the costly first inning in Game 1, Olson looked really good against the Guardians, allowing just three total hits in his five innings while striking out four batters.

    Another option Hinch likes to start games with is righty Beau Brieske, but he had a dominant two-inning outing Wednesday with 27 pitches, which could be another reason Hinch leaned on Olson to start.

    GAME STORY: Detroit Tigers one win from first ALCS since 2013. Here’s what happened in the last appearance

    Olson, on the other hand, will have tough competition on Thursday. After a near-perfect first game, the Guardians are ready to start Tanner Bibee for the second time in the series. Bibee went 4⅔ innings and allowed just four hits and no runs against a Tigers team that seemed overwhelmed.

    Bibee is in his second year with the Guardians and has a career 3.25 ERA in 56 starts over the past two seasons.

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    Caradoc Wyn
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