The Detroit Tigers executed bullpen strategy to shut out Guardians in ALDS Game 3 3-0

Cleveland Guardians manager Stephen Vogt made his first lineup change of Game 3 of the ALDS to react to A.J. Hinch's first decision for the Detroit Tigers .

Hinch pulled right-hander Keider Montero after he retired the first three Cleveland hitters on just six pitches. The Tigers' manager turned to left-hander Brant Hurter to face the middle of Cleveland's batting order the first time around.

Hurter gave up two singles before recording an out, but escaped the jam with three straight flyouts, including one for the second out by pinch-hitter Jhonkensy Noel, who replaced Will Brennan in right field before Brennan had a plate appearance. In the top of the third inning, Vogt went to the bench again, bringing in the right-handed David Fry to replace the left-handed Kyle Manzardo, but Fry struck out looking to end the inning.

"I can't imagine," catcher Jake Rogers said when asked about how frustrating the Tigers' pitching approach must be to face. "Montero has gone nine innings this year (in a start against the Colorado Rockies on Sept. 10). Him starting it, you just got to prepare for him, and then all of a sudden, here's Hurter against some lefties. I don't know if you want lefties to see him and then there's Noel pinch-hitting for Brennan there. I'm sure it's tough to do."

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The bullpen strategy, which has become the Tigers' saving grace when ace Tarik Skubal hasn't been available over the last two months, worked once again. Detroit shut out Cleveland for the second straight game (tying the most in a single postseason in franchise history) by using six pitchers over nine innings. Hinch leveraged the lineup to take away platoon advantages in Cleveland's lineup. The 3-0 win in Game 3 of the ALDS put the Tigers up 2-1, one win away from an ALCS appearance.

Hurter earned the title of bulk reliever on Wednesday, entering second and throwing 3⅓ innings. He was the only Tigers pitcher to face the same batter more than once, with a second turn against the middle of Cleveland's lineup, and scattered five hits to prevent any runs.

Hinch said the start of the game was not scripted but played out in a way where he could turn to the bullpen immediately for Hurter to face Josh Naylor.

"Keider had no idea, first off, and responded favorably with an incredible first inning, with a ton of energy in the ballpark and in an atmosphere that was second to none," Hinch explained. "So when he gets three up, three down, we have Hurter for the beginning at Naylor."

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The relievers have some idea of when they could be used but have to stay alert out in Comerica Park's left-field bullpen in case Hinch calls for them at any point.

"When I saw the lineup they put out and kind of knew our plan, I kind of knew that was how it was going to unfold," Hurter said. "And it's pretty cool that A.J. was able to make that happen and get a lot of guys out of their lineup, burn a lot of guys just by having Keider start and me coming in."

Next up was right-handed Beau Brieske, who has been used in every role from starter to closer during the Tigers' run. Brieske, who had a save in Game 2, continued his strong start to the postseason. He relieved Hurter with one out in the fifth inning with runners on first and second and struck out Fry with a slider in the dirt and induced a José Ramírez flyout to end the threat. From there, Brieske threw a scoreless sixth and got the first out in the seventh before his day was done.

"Beau comes in in a really big spot," Hinch said. "In a perfect world, I'd love to bring these guys in, clean inning, big lead, deep breath and attack guys that they can match up with, and that never happens, especially in October. So strike-throwing is key. Being at your best from pitch one."

Brieske has now thrown 5⅓ scoreless innings in four relief appearances through five postseason games with six strikeouts, no hits allowed and two walks as one of Hinch's go-to high-leverage right-handers.

The strategy included making sure Ramírez, an All-Star who hit .279 with 39 home runs in the regular season, did not see the same pitcher twice. It worked out, with Ramírez going 0-for-3 with an intentional walk.

"Part of the way our roster is built and the reason we're maximizing strengths is we can do a lot of different things to hitters," Hinch said. "It's not easy to face four different guys, especially since I took one at-bat away from Ramírez, to your question. But you need the guys to do it, to throw strikes and pound the strike zone and go right after guys and get big outs."

Left-handed Sean Guenther was Hinch's next call. He recorded one out before putting two on base with a walk and single allowed, and Hinch yanked him to go back to a right-hander in Will Vest. Fry turned on a fastball from Vest and sent a screamer down the third-base line, but Matt Vierling was in position for a leaping grab to prevent the run.

Vest pitched a scoreless eighth, finishing his performance by striking out Lane Thomas on a checked swing on a fastball at the knees. Vest waited on the call from the home plate umpire before breaking out into a screaming and strutting celebration back to the dugout while receiving a standing ovation.

"It was electric," Vest said. "That's kind of what you dream of as a reliever — being in those big spots, getting a big punch out to end the inning. And to just pass it onto the next guy."

The next guy was the Tigers' left-handed Swiss Army knife, Tyler Holton, the Game 1 starter. In that game, he didn't record an out, but on Wednesday, he produced a quick 1-2-3 ninth inning with two groundouts and a strikeout to put the Tigers ahead 2-1 in the series.

"Everyone knows the roles and pockets and like when to expect (getting your name called)," Holton said about how the bullpen stays ready. "... It's just, it's all preparation so everyone's doing their job and getting ready for if it could be them."

A lot of that preparation comes from Hinch, pitching coach Chris Fetter and Rogers behind the plate. Holton said Rogers works with every pitcher in the bullpen and rotation, not just the six used Wednesday, are paramount to the Tigers being able to play this way and pull out wins.

"He's able to think of each and every one of us individually in the situation because everyone pitches differently," Holton said. "But all of our catchers that are in there, especially on bullpen days, it's a testament to who we have behind the plate calling signs because that's impressive."

And the coaching staff has full trust in every single pitcher to go out and execute what they are being asked to do in any game situation.

"Our guys understand that they're put in that position because every single person wearing the (old) English 'D' knows they can get the job done, and they continue to respond," Hinch said.

Jared Ramsey is a sports reporter for the Detroit Free Press covering the city's professional teams, the state's two flagship universities and more. Follow Jared on X @jared_ramsey22 , and email him at jramsey@freepress.com.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: The Detroit Tigers executed bullpen strategy to shut out Guardians in ALDS Game 3 3-0