The Detroit Tigers went nine consecutive innings without a run but still took the Seattle Mariners to 15 innings before Jorge Polanco's bases-loaded walk-off single eliminated Detroit and sent Seattle to the American League Championship Series.
The marathon Game 5 brought a disappointing end to the Tigers' best season since their 90-win campaign in 2014, but first baseman Spencer Torkelson believes there were plenty of positives to take from the dramatic defeat.
"Heartbreaking ending," Torkelson said postgame, according to Chris McCosky of The Detroit News. "But it was an unbelievable game to be a part of. The boys showed a lot of fight in that game.
"We didn't win, but there is so much to be proud of. Not only in this game, but just this incredible season we all had."
Torkelson struggled in the contest, finishing 0-for-6 with four strikeouts against four different pitchers. However, he was far from the only batter with issues at the plate. The Tigers had five players go hitless in five or more at-bats as the Mariners' pitchers combined for 17 strikeouts and just four walks throughout the grueling matchup. Meanwhile, Seattle had its own issues solving the Tigers' arms, specifically starter Tarik Skubal, who recorded 13 of Detroit's 20 punchouts but left the game after 99 pitches over six innings.
Skubal, a favorite to win his second straight AL Cy Young, was one of several bright spots from a Tigers season that started strong before losing considerable momentum in the second half. An eight-game losing streak in September allowed the Cleveland Guardians to finish atop the AL Central despite Detroit holding a 10-game lead on Sept. 3.
It's also the second straight year in which the Tigers have been bounced in Game 5 of the ALDS. However, this was at least a much closer battle than the 7-3 loss to the Guardians that eliminated them in 2024, a minor consolation for a franchise that has yet to return to the ALCS since 2013.
"I feel like the standard is a lot higher than where it's been," Torkelson added. "Our floor has been raised and we don't know where our ceiling is. We're not satisfied making it to Game 5 of the ALDS. We want more.
"This stings but we've raised our floor and created a new standard of what it should be like."
