Tigers get royally screwed by MLB replay system as Guardians get bailed out

Javy Báez was tabbed as The Athletic's postseason X-factor for the Tigers going into the Wild Card series, and despite a pretty awful second half and years of poor performance, it wasn't the hardest thing to imagine. Báez has more postseason experience than any of his teammates and was the Cubs' 2016 NLCS MVP, and this would be his first time seeing the postseason with the Tigers.

On Wednesday in the top of the fourth in Game 2, Báez delivered (after picking up two singles as one of the only working Tigers' batters in their Game 1 victory). In his second at-bat, he came up with the bases loaded and two outs, then chopped a fastball up the middle to easily score Riley Greene from third. Zach McKinstry, who had been on first with a walk, did what the Tigers do and attempted to make it from first to third on a single.

He slid into third as top prospect and brand new call-up Chase DeLauter tried to get his first major league assist. McKinstry dove into third and was called safe on the field to give the Tigers a 2-1 lead as Dillon Dingler scored.

It was desperately close and the Guardians challenged, but replays suggested that there may not be enough evidence to completely overturn.

Nope. After a relatively long delay, MLB's replay room in New York decided that the call on the field was incorrect, and the Tigers had to settle for a tie.

Tigers kept from taking fourth-inning lead over Guardians in Wild Card Game 2 after ridiculous replay review

ESPN's announcers later clarified that the replay operators in New York said they had "conclusive evidence" that third baseman José Ramírez's glove hand had touched McKinstry's helmet before his hand touched the base, but they're going to have to walk us through that one frame by frame, because it certainly looked like McKinstry's right hand was on the bag before the tag was applied.

The Tigers will certainly take a tie, especially after they spoiled a first-inning opportunity with two men on and no outs, but that call could very well be the thing that turns the tide in the Guardians' favor as we get deeper into this game.

At least Detroit's hitters are actually getting on base and making something out of it, but we need to see more of that if the Tigers want to put this one in the books.