India, Oct. 1 -- The Cleveland Guardians surprised several fans with their lineup card on Tuesday night. When they opened their postseason Wild Card game series against the Detroit Tigers, it was not Bo Naylor behind the plate. Instead, manager Stephen Vogt deployed veteran Austin Hedges as the starting catcher, hitting ninth.

The decision was not about ignoring Naylor's recent form. It came down to matchups and experience. Naylor, a left-handed hitter, would have faced a tough test against Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, one of the best lefties in baseball this season, according to The Sporting News. Vogt opted to play the percentages and went ahead with Hedges, who bats from the right side.

Beyond his handedness, the Guardians value what Hed...