CLEVELAND (WJW) — The Cleveland Guardians are officially back in the playoffs, gearing up for a familiar opponent, the Detroit Tigers. After a successful Wild Card win over the Houston Astros, Detroit now faces Cleveland in the American League Division Series.

Now that Cleveland knows who they’re facing, the team is diving into scouting reports. Facing a familiar opponent can provide insights, but it also brings unique challenges.

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This season, Cleveland and Detroit played each other 13 times, with the Guardians winning 7 of those games.

That fact isn’t lost on the players, who recognize Detroit’s gritty style of play.

“They’ve got good pitching, they never give up,” explained Andrés Giménez, Guardians second baseman.

“There are advantages and disadvantages but we face them throughout the year so we kind of know what we are getting,” added Tyler Freeman, Guardians center fielder.

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Since their last meeting in late July, the Tigers have transformed. At the start of September, Detroit seemed out of the playoff race, but a surge of 17 wins in their last 25 games put them right back in contention.

The Guardians are aware they’re in for a tough fight, but they’re ready for the challenge.

David Fry, the Guardians designated hitter, shared, “They know us, we know them. At the end of the day, I don’t really think we cared who played. It’s just about winning the series and advancing.”

October 5 at Progressive Field: Mark the date. Cleveland’s journey to end its World Series drought begins at 1:08 p.m.

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