Foul ball shatters broadcast camera behind home plate during thrilling Tigers-Guardians AL Wild Card game

One MLB postseason camera got too literal while catching a play in the Detroit Tigers-Cleveland Guardians Wild Card Game 1 on Tuesday afternoon. 

During an at-bat between Tigers ace Tarik Skubal and Guardians hitter Angel Martinez, the former delivered a 100-mph fastball that the latter fouled off on an 0-2 count. 

While Martinez just missed putting the barrel on a ball, it went straight back and shattered a camera filming the game behind home plate. Skubal noticed it immediately, while those at home plate turned around to see a pile of glass from the lens on the grass. 

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Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) delivers in the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians during game one of the Wildcard round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Progressive Field on Sept. 30, 2025.  (David Dermer/Imagn Images)

ESPN play-by-play announcer Sean McDonough was wondering if that was a camera from his own broadcast, but it wasn’t. The broadcast showed a clear view behind home plate, while the Guardians’ groundskeepers sprinted to clean things up as fast as possible.

Skubal hasn’t allowed much solid contact at all, as the 2024 Cy Young Award winner has certainly played the role of ace for the Tigers to begin the postseason. Through seven innings, Skubal totaled 14 strikeouts and gave up just three hits over his 7 ⅔ innings outing. 

The Guardians, though, were able to score a run to tie the game in that fourth inning after Martinez got on base with an infield single. Skubal issued a walk to Jose Ramirez, and after getting the next two batters to strikeout, Gabriel Arias’s high chopper for an infield hit saw Martinez dare Skubal by sprinting from second base to home. 

Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal (29) gets instructions from second base Gleyber Torres (25) to throw to home base for an out attempt against the Cleveland Guardians in the fourth inning during game one of the Wildcard round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Progressive Field on Sept. 30, 2025. (David Dermer/Imagn Images)

Though Skubal got the ball to the plate in time, Martinez’s hand got under the tag to even the game at one apiece. 

The Tigers have since taken the lead, as Zack McKinstry’s sacrifice bunt to first base allowed Riley Greene to score from third to make it a 2-1 game. 

These Wild Card series are only best-of-three, making Game 1 so crucial for the eight teams that will be playing on Tuesday. 

Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers looks on prior to the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Grace Hoppel/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

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The Tigers and Guardians know each other well, having been in a close battle in the AL Central all through September, with Cleveland capping a comeback for the century to win the division and own home-field advantage in this series.  

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