AL DIVISION SERIES: TIGERS VS MARINERS

October 7, 2025

Dan Wilson

Comerica Park

Seattle Mariners

Pregame 3 Press Conference

Q. Dan, you probably know the question that's coming here, but we saw the social media post. Is Josh in the lineup tonight? Is he good to go?

DAN WILSON: Yeah. Josh is here. He's in the lineup. We're excited to have him back in the lineup and excited to get started here today with Game 3.

Q. Not a mustache question, Dan. With Naylor, he's been dealing with the idea that his wife was going to go into labor at any minute. How distracting is that for a player? It's his first child, you know, all these things going on around him, plus he's got to perform in the playoffs. How difficult can that be?

DAN WILSON: Yeah. Obviously it's a big -- it's a huge deal, and, you know, it's something that is -- you're always thinking about that, of course.

But I think he's handled everything really well and has done, you know, a tremendous job for us since coming over here. And, you know, I think he's one of those guys that's able to continue to focus on what needs to be focused on at the moment. And we've seen the intensity from Josh, and it's been incredible to have him a part of this club, and we've seen it play out this whole time he's been with us.

Q. Dan, we obviously want to respect his privacy if he wants to keep it personal, but was the baby delivered? Fans want to know if there was -- where they can send flowers and gifts.

DAN WILSON: Yeah. I would just say I'm sure Josh would be happy to talk about whatever, so I would just point you in that direction at this moment. But, you know, we're excited to have him back. We're excited he's here with us and excited to have him back in the lineup.

Q. Dan, do you know who your Game 4 starter is going to be yet at this point?

DAN WILSON: We're going to see, you know, kind of how today plays out, and we should know more once the game's over tonight. So we'll just see how today plays out.

Q. Dan, the last time you guys were in Detroit, same pitching matchup as it was today, Logan and Jack Flaherty. Just what did you kind of learn or take away from what you saw from Jack and from how Logan pitched this lineup here in this ballpark?

DAN WILSON: Yeah. You know, I think it's -- Logan has pitched very well for us, and, you know, his ability, especially with secondaries, the slider, the split have been so good. And, you know, they play off his fastball so well.

And that's going to be the key for him today in attacking this lineup, especially with the lefties, being able to use the secondaries and use that fastball at the top of the zone as we have seen.

And Flaherty has secondaries of his own, a good, sharp curveball and sweeper. So offensively, like we've been talking about, our guys have put those ABs together. That's what it's going to take again today to mount that at-bat to at-bat attack that they do.

Q. Dan, what have you seen from Randy Arozarena down the stretch, and how have those at-bats compared recently to earlier in the season?

DAN WILSON: Yeah. I would say with all our guys, really, the ability to stay in the middle of the field, to drive the ball gap to gap -- you know, I think that makes us better as hitters, and we're at our best when we're able to do that.

And Randy's certainly no exception there and has driven some balls to right field. I thought he hit a couple balls especially in Game 1 that had a chance to get out of the ballpark to right field and were run down at the warning track.

So I feel like he's in a really good spot and was a big key to get the game started against Skubal with the base hit and, you know, just continues to use middle of the field and the other way. And I think that that puts all our guys in a good spot.

Q. Dan, the weather is obviously iffy. Does that change anything about what you guys can and can't do on the field pregame, kind of how Logan goes about his routine, kind of the not knowing what's coming?

DAN WILSON: Yeah, as of right now, there's nothing on the field pregame, but this is a very common occurrence during a season. Our guys know what to do. So hitting in the cage. It shouldn't change many routines much, and everybody will be ready to go at game time.

Q. So often during the season we've talked about the clutch hits, the timely hits for this team, and you said yes, because these guys love each other and have each other's back. Is there a better example of that than what we saw Sunday?

DAN WILSON: Yeah. That was obviously the huge key for us. We gave up the lead, Detroit able to tie it, but for us to come right back in that next half inning and get that run back was huge.

I mean, that's all part of having each other's backs. And these guys have done that all season long. They've bounced back and been resilient. That was huge there and really the difference in the ballgame.

Q. Dan, just to see what Julio's done the last couple days, obviously you've been around him for years, and he's in the situation where he comes up as a top prospect, and it's kind of the weight of the city and the fan base anointing him and that kind of expectation. What's it like to see him have the breakthrough on this stage that he has in the last couple days?

DAN WILSON: Yeah. He's obviously an exciting player. And I think the thing about Julio that's the best is he loves playing the game. He has fun out in the field. He has fun in his at-bats. And to see that joy as he plays and plays well in this series is what it's all about.

And I think that's been a huge key for him, is just being able to relax and have fun, and we've seen a lot of fun from him, for sure.

Q. Hey, Dan. Did you know A.J. at all during your respective playing days? Have you gotten to know him since? And what's the chess match like managing against him?

DAN WILSON: Yeah. You know, I would say we knew of each other. Obviously having played against each other over the course of our career.

I don't know him super well personally. I've met him a couple of times throughout the course of the series. A tremendous amount of respect for A.J. and just how he manages and his reputation in the game throughout his career, you know, and just what he's been able to accomplish.

And a tremendous amount of respect, and I think managing against him, you know, you always know he's right there with you and trying to move. I don't know how to play chess, so I don't know how to use that as a metaphor, but, you know, he's right there on every move, and that's what makes this so fun too.

Q. Dan, acknowledging that it's been just two games, can you describe the differences that you've felt managing in the playoffs versus managing in the regular season?

DAN WILSON: Yeah. I mean, I think the biggest difference really is just sort of the urgency and where you are in the course of a game. You know, I think your guys are pretty rested because there just isn't as much, you know, back-to-back games, so you have full bullpens, you have full benches, and you can use them.

And I think you can sort of use them earlier and more advantageously at times, and that's -- for me right now, that's sort of the biggest difference that I've seen.

Q. When you have relievers who are rolling like these guys are and you know how to line them up pretty consistently, how much does that help a manager and help a team, when you have that steady sort of look from the sixth through the ninth?

DAN WILSON: Yeah. No doubt. That's been a huge key for us, even down the stretch at the end of the year here, is just how our bullpen has performed, and finding the right spots for them and getting them in there. And they've just been able to deliver.

And I think the same is true here in the playoffs, and these guys just continue to throw the ball well and give us huge innings, and, you know, that's what this time of year is all about, is sort of stopping the momentum one way or the other, and these guys have been able to do it very consistently.

Q. Specifically with your closer, with Munoz, he's got a nice little track record of success. What specifically makes him so dominant at the back end?

DAN WILSON: Yeah. I would say what makes all our guys dominant, and that's attacking the strike zone, not getting behind, not walking guys, you know, being able to attack -- get ahead and control the count, control the at-bat a little bit more, and that's huge, especially late in the game. And Muny's been able to do that, as have all our bullpen guys, and that's a big key for us.

Q. Gabe Speier was in here a little while ago talking about the confidence that he's pitched with this year. When you get into a postseason environment like this, how big of an asset is that, a guy who has pitched in virtually any inning for you this year and righties and lefties?

DAN WILSON: Yeah. Confidence is what this game is about. Anytime you can find that confidence and have that and hold on to it, that's a benefit. And Gabe has thrown the ball extremely well from beginning to end this year, and he's come up huge in a lot of big moments for us.

And you're right, it's been righties and lefties. It doesn't matter. And he's been able to do it. Tremendous amount of confidence in what he's given us all season long. And this was a good time to feel confident because you know you're going to find yourself in those kinds of situations.

Q. Dan, it's clear that Cal helps Julio in terms of the lineup, but does the attention he gets from other teams and nationally in the media take some of the pressure off Julio to allow him to play more free, knowing that he doesn't have to carry the weight?

DAN WILSON: Probably a better question for him, but I think, again, just watching the way those guys have played this year and how it's kind of gone, you know, back-to-back in the order, it seems to have played out pretty well, and they seem to have been able to work a nice balance.

And how that plays out in their mind, I'm not sure, but certainly it's been, you know, a powerful 2-3 punch for us for sure.