What Mariners Should Be Rooting For Entering Game 2 Of AL Wild Card Series

Be careful what you wish for, but...

Detroit Tigers pitcher Will Vest (19), right, and catcher Dillon Dingler (13) celebrate 2-1 win over Cleveland Guardians at Game 1 of AL wild-card series at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio on Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Seattle Mariners have quite literally never been in this position before.

For the first time in franchise history, the Mariners sat back on Tuesday and played the waiting game. Their playoff run will begin on Saturday in the American League Division Series, but they don't know who they'll be hosting.

As the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Guardians duke it out at Progressive Field this week, the Mariners surely are watching every pitch. After a 2-1 Detroit win on Tuesday, it's fascinating to think about what Seattle might be rooting for on Wednesday.

Mariners should hope for a Guardians win

Sep 30, 2025; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Guardians third base and infield coach Rouglas Odor (53) and third base José Ramírez (11) interact in the ninth inning against the Detroit Tigers during game one of the Wildcard round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-Imagn Images | David Dermer-Imagn Images

Either the Tigers or Guardians would present a tough challenge. Seattle would be favored against both, but there are pesky traits inherent to both teams, and as Tuesday's game showed, Tigers ace Tarik Skubal is the guy you pretty much never want to see with the game on the line.

And the Skubal factor, in addition to wanting any potential opponent's pitching staff as taxed as possible, is precisely why the Mariners should be rooting for a Guardians win in Game 2.

Both teams have another trustworthy pitcher going on Wednesday -- Casey Mize for Detroit, Tanner Bibee for Cleveland. Seattle won't see anybody's No. 1 starter on Saturday, but they'll see the ace on Sunday and the Wednesday starter in Game 3 on Tuesday.

So for maximum fatigue, the Mariners would love to see their opponent burn their No. 3 starter on Thursday and be forced to send their No. 4 to the mound against Seattle's potent lineup. That can only happen if Cleveland pulls through.

Plus, even though the Guardians have been the much hotter team throughout the second half, it's hard to look in the mirror and honestly say you want to face Skubal. And with an extra off day before Game 5 of the series, Skubal could pitch twice on regular rest in the ALDS.

Now, no Mariners player or coach would be caught dead saying they'd rather play either Cleveland or Detroit, because that's the definition of unnecessary bulletin board material. But we aren't on the Mariners here, so it's completely fair to partake in this kind of speculation.

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