The Detroit Tigers and Seattle Mariners will square off in Game 2 of the ALDS on Sunday night. The Tigers enter with momentum after a dramatic extra-innings win in Game 1. Detroit now turns to its ace, Tarik Skubal, to try and take a 2–0 series lead on the road. Seattle will attempt to even the series at a game apiece with Luis Castillo on the bump at home. Before this contest begins in the Pacific Northwest, continue reading to get my Tigers vs Mariners Game 2 prediction.
Our Tigers vs Mariners Game 2 Pick
- Pick: Tigers moneyline
- Confidence: ★★★★☆
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Detroit Tigers vs Seattle Mariners
- Date & Time: Sunday, October 5, 2025, 8:03 p.m. ET
- Starting Pitchers: Tarik Skubal (DET) vs Luis Castillo (SEA)
- Stadium: T-Mobile Park, Seattle, WA
- Broadcast: FS1
Key Storylines
The Tigers grabbed a wild 3–2 win in 11 innings in Game 1, powered by Kerry Carpenter’s two-run homer and a broken-bat RBI single from Zach McKinstry in the 11th inning. Detroit’s bullpen locked the game down late, while Seattle’s offense sputtered. Outside of Julio Rodríguez and Cal Raleigh, no one got a hit in 28 at-bats. That will need to change if the Mariners are going to avoid an 0-2 deficit in this best-of-five series.
Pitching matchup
Tarik Skubal is the Tigers’ starting pitcher in Game 2. Over the regular season, he posted a 13–6 record with a 2.21 ERA and 241 strikeouts. In the Wild Card round, he tied a franchise postseason record with 14 strikeouts in a win over the Cleveland Guardians. Luis Castillo will get the start for Seattle in this contest. Castillo is 11–8 with a 3.54 ERA and 162 strikeouts this year. Castillo has had postseason experience, but he will need to be at his best to get the better of Skubal in this huge spot.
Key Players
The key players in this game will be the bullpens on both sides. After an 11-inning thriller on Saturday, both bullpens were heavily used in the opening game of the series. Skubal and Castillo both have the ability to go deep in this game, but the bullpens could ultimately decide which team comes out on top on Sunday.
Recent team streaks
Detroit won Game 1 in extras and rides that momentum into Game 2. The Tigers have won two games in a row and three of their last four. Seattle has lost four games in a row coming into what feels like a must-win game for them before the series goes to Detroit.
Best Player Props
| Player | Prop Category | Pick |
|---|---|---|
| Tarik Skubal | Strikeouts | Over 7.5 |
| Julio Rodríguez | Total Bases | Under 1.5 |
| Kerry Carpenter | Home Runs | Over 0.5 |
Tigers vs Mariners Game 2 Model Projection
Score Projection: Tigers 4 – Mariners 2
Win Probability: Tigers 57%, Mariners 43%
Final Thoughts
I would expect for us to get a low-scoring and intense game on Sunday. Both Skubal and Castillo have been excellent and should be excellent tonight. But I think that Skubal will be just a little bit better in key moments and that will help the Tigers to take a 2-0 series lead before they head home for Game 3 of this best-of-five ALDS matchup.
