With just one dominant starting pitcher looming over this AL Central matchup – and Tigers lefty Tarik Skubal won’t pitch until Game 2 after dominating the Houston Astros in the wild-card series – the onus will fall on Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt and Detroit counterpart A.J. Hinch to deploy their excellent bullpens in optimal fashion.

On the NL side, we have two divisional showdowns in Mets-Phillies and Padres-Dodgers. On the AL side, it's the Central vs. the Yankees, as the upstart Tigers take on the Guardians — the first time any two AL Central teams have met in October since the division was formed in 1994 — and the Royals attempt to bring down the Bronx Bombers.