Should Tigers Have Pulled Tarik Skubal Early in Game Five of ALDS?

The Detroit Tigers were faced with a difficult decision in a winner-take-all.

Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Detroit Tigers and Seattle Mariners played a dramatic 15-inning duel in game five of the American League Division Series. A game that lasted nearly five hours saw the Mariners emerge victorious, courtesy of a walk-off single from Jorge Polanco.

Seattle is headed to their first American League Championship Series for the first time since 2001, while the Tigers are left heartbroken and questions begin to loom about the future.

With a game where few runs were scored and arms were taxed to the fullest potential, every decision made by both managers was critical.

Did Tarik Skubal Get Pulled Too Early?

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) reacts after striking out Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (not pictured) during the sixth inning during game five of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at T-Mobile Park. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

Detroit's ace Tarik Skubal toed the rubber in game five. He was met with enormous expectations to deliver a masterpiece and make up for a struggling Tigers offense. Skubal dazzled as he threw six innings, allowing two runs on one hit.

He struck out 13 hitters and maybe just as impressively, didn't walk anyone. On his final pitch of the night, he punched out Seattle's best hitter, Cal Raleigh, on a fastball clocked at 101 mph. He exited throwing 99 pitches and with Detroit in a 2-1 lead. Conversations began if he would go back out there for the seventh.

Manager A.J. Hinch elected to go to his bullpen, as Kyle Finnegan replaced Skubal. The decision quickly backfired as Polanco drew a one-out walk and Josh Naylor poked a single to right field. Tyler Holton came in for Finnegan and the Mariners went to Leo Rivas in a pinch-hit spot.

On a 0-1 changeup, Rivas hit a line drive to left field to score Polanco and tied the game at two. That hit helped send the game to six extra innings and Seattle prevailed.

A.J. Hinch Stands by His Decision

Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch (14) talks to pitcher Will Vest (19) for a mound visit during the ninth inning during ALDS Game 5 at T-Mobile Park in Seattle on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Many are wondering if Skubal was pulled too early. According to Mike Axisa of CBS Sports, Hinch said, "Easy decision. After the fifth, I checked in on him how he was doing physically and emotionally, and we both knew he had one left. You know, he emptied his tank and obviously was emotional coming off the mound, and I think that signals exactly where we were in the game. He gave us everything he could."

I think that Hinch pulled his ace too early. Obviously, he knows his guys better than anyone else, but with the heart of the Mariners lineup due in the seventh, I don't think it would've hurt to throw him out there and gauge where he was at.

In an elimination game, you have to exhaust all your options and there were likely some Skubal pitches that were left on the table. A tired Tarik Skubal is still better than just about anyone else in the league.

Regardless, this decision didn't completely cost the Tigers the game. The offense didn't show up once again. Kerry Carpenter provided all the runs on one swing en route to a 4-5 night. Riley Greene, Spencer Torkelson, and Gleyber Torres combined for a 0-18 night with seven strikeouts.

That is simply unacceptable in a game where Detroit needed one big swing to end it. A pitching duel was always going to favor Seattle and the Tigers ran out of gas.

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