AL DIVISION SERIES: TIGERS VS MARINERS

October 6, 2025

Dan Wilson

Comerica Park

Seattle Mariners

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. Dan, did Josh make the trip with you guys? And what do you anticipate for his status at a Game 3?

DAN WILSON: Yeah. A personal matter, so he's -- you know, we'll know more tomorrow, but, you know, just looking forward to getting started up here tomorrow.

Q. Dan, is the roster move just simple as, like, bringing Ben in, if you have to make that move? Or how do you do that?

DAN WILSON: Yeah. We'll just cross that bridge as we get there. But I think we've got a plan in place, and we'll just be ready when it happens.

Q. Do the matchups of who you're facing play at all in it, like the starters you might be facing, or is it just --

DAN WILSON: That's obviously part of it, but again, we'll -- you know, as we look at it and we -- with all this stuff, we assess it day to day and it's all shaping out. And we'll be in good shape one way or the other.

Q. Any finalized plans on Game 4 starter at this point?

DAN WILSON: You know, again, just looking at it as we go. And, you know, right now kind of the focus is tomorrow and Logan in Game 3, and looking forward to continuing a little bit of the momentum that we had coming out of Game 2.

Q. Logan has a postseason start under his belt too. He's been the workhorse for this team in the past. You know what you can expect from him in the consistency. Just what are you looking forward to tomorrow with him?

DAN WILSON: Yeah. As we've talked all along in this series and throughout the postseason, that experience can go a long way, and having one of those under his belt, again, will help him as he gets out there.

It's mostly about using the energy that you feel and using it in the right direction, and, you know, he has pitched some big names for us down the stretch here, and, you know, his first opportunity to get out there for us tomorrow, and I think he's ready and raring to go, and I'm excited to have him out there.

Q. Dan, his strikeout rate amongst starters is probably amongst the highest in baseball, but he's also kind of lamented that he is not getting deeper into games. What do you think is killing his efficiency? He gets a ton of foul balls. Is it just misses, a few misses here and there that leads to longer counts? What are you seeing?

DAN WILSON: Yeah. When he is on, obviously he has that swing-and-miss stuff, and occasionally, especially with his secondaries, and his heater as well, he does just get a lot of either weak contact or a weak foul ball or just being able to get a little bit of contact and nothing that they can really do with it.

So he does get some foul balls. He does get into some deeper counts. But all in all, I think having that strikeout ability, especially in the postseason, is really a plus for you.

Q. Dan, how is your bullpen doing today, how valuable is today's off-day, and how are you just kind of learning about how to navigate all the usage and the matchups of your bullpen in October?

DAN WILSON: Yeah. I think it's -- I think we're going to be in good shape. I mean, these guys have dealt with this and have been so available all season long, especially down here towards the stretch, and we're prepared for this, and it's all hands on deck. It's postseason, and you do what it takes.

Everybody did enjoy a day of rest today and getting a chance to just kind of keep the body on a low simmer today. A chance for us to get out here and work out. I thought that was important for us to at least get some juices flowing here a little bit and get used to the ballpark again and guys going through a little bit of activity.

So I think all in all, I think we're going to be in good shape tomorrow. You know, and again, in this Division Series, you're only playing two in a row at most and then getting another off day, which helps you reset. So I think we're all anxious to get started again tomorrow, and I think everybody will be in good shape.

Q. The fact that you've been able to stay away from Bryce at least in the first two games position you well if you do intend to go with him in Game 4?

DAN WILSON: Yeah. I think that will be a plus, and if that's the way we go, I think that will be helpful for sure.

Q. Gabe in particular, he was a guy that Hinch had identified, even coming into this series, was going to be one of the crucial matchups for his side, obviously. But just obviously the season he's had, coming back from the injury last year, how crucial is that?

DAN WILSON: Yeah. It's big. They've got a couple of lefties that have had big seasons and have really helped that offense go.

And for Gabe to come in and be able to match up I think is huge. And we've had to lean on him quite a bit in the first couple games of this series. I anticipate that will be continuing to be the case, and Ferguson as well in Game 1.

So yeah. You know, lefties will loom large for sure, but like I've said before, all our guys -- you give them the ball, they're going to do the job for you, and that's what they've done all season long.

Q. What makes Flaherty tough when he's on? And what's the key to getting -- you know, having a good day against him?

DAN WILSON: Pardon me?

Q. Flaherty.

DAN WILSON: Oh. You know, I think he's -- offensively, I think we'll be in good shape. This is a guy that -- you know, what we do as an offense, putting pitchers on hitters -- or pitchers and trying to grind out at-bats, important. And we were able to do it yesterday against one of the tougher ones, and now we've got a chance to do it again.

And that's what our offense is geared to do, and that's the approach we'll continue to take.

Q. Dan, they were talking a lot about it on the broadcast, obviously A.J. talks a lot about catching, and just talks a lot in general. But they mentioned about Cal not having a passed ball this season. The block he made after Vargas had the wild pitch, but Vargas threw a 100-mile-per-hour sinker that bounced and he reached all the way across his body, how difficult is that? People see somebody make that play, and he makes it a lot, and he blamed himself for the other one. But how difficult is that play?

DAN WILSON: It's immensely difficult. I don't even know that I can relate. I didn't have anybody that threw 100 miles an hour or even getting pitches in the mid-90s that are in the dirt. You just don't see that very often when I was playing, and now it's pretty commonplace.

It's immensely difficult, and I think the job that Cal has done behind the plate, you know, encompassing all areas of catching -- throwing, blocking, certainly calling a game -- you know, he's the league's best. And his ability to keep balls in front of him, keep runners where they're at is huge.

And to be able to do that consistently as he does -- again, I point to the night he broke Mickey Mantle's record. He took one in the neck the half inning before and then was able to bounce right back and hit a homer his next at-bat.

So that's the kind of player Cal is, and that's what he's done for us all season long. And it's not easy. It's not an easy thing to do, but he does it time and time again.

Q. One quick one on Josh. Just for clarification, this is related to the baby coming?

DAN WILSON: Yeah. I mean, it's kind of a personal day for him, so he'll be back, and we're looking forward to it.