Here we go. After 10 years, the Detroit Tigers are back in the postseason and they’re carrying a huge head of steam following one of greatest stretch drives in the game’s history. The AL Wild Card Series between the Tigers and the Houston Astros gets underway at Minute Maid Park in Houston with a 2:32 p.m. ET start time on Tuesday.
The Astros are on a nice second half run of their own, and it’s a roster stacked with experienced elite hitters and starting pitchers, and backed with a tough bulllpen. The Tigers will have their hands full taking two of three on the road from Houston, but everything about their run over the last two months has been tough.
The key for the Tigers is ace and presumed AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal. The southpaw has absolutely dominated this season, but the Astros do have the right-handed bats in Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, and Yainer Diaz, to give him some trouble, and lefties Kyle Tucker and Yordan Alvarez are dangerous against anyone.
The Tigers really need a strong outing from Skubal and a Game 1 victory. If they manage it, that opens up the rest of the series for A.J. Hinch and Chris Fetter to work their matchup magic from a deep group of good relievers and young starters who are used to going through the order once after an opener starts the game.
On offense, the left-handed heavy Tigers lineup will have their hands full with tough left-handed starters in Yusei Kikuchi and Framber Valdez. Riley Greene and Parker Meadows have been dangerous against everyone in the second half, but the biggest key for them may be Spencer Torkelson. After a brutal start to the year, Torkelson spent over two months at the Triple-A level trying to get sorted out, and he’s returned strong, posting a 125 wRC+ since returning to the lineup.
The Tigers are the hottest team in baseball, and A.J. Hinch knows Houston as well as anyone, but this is a stern first postseason test for his young team.
MLB Postseason Bracket
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MLB Postseason 2024: Schedule and broadcast info
Wild Card Series
Tuesday, October 1
Game 1: Detroit Tigers at Houston Astros, 2.32 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 1: Kansas City Royals at Baltimore Orioles, 4:08 p.m. ET, ESPN2
Game 1: New York Mets at Milwaukee Brewers, 5:32 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 1: Atlanta Braves at San Diego Padres, 8:38 p.m. ET, ESPN
Wednesday, October 2
Game 2: Detroit Tigers at Houston Astros, 2:32 p.m. ET, ABC
Game 2: Kansas City Royals at Baltimore Orioles, 4:38 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 2: New York Mets at Milwaukee Brewers, 7:38 p.m. ET, ESPN
Game 2: Atlanta Braves at San Diego Padres, 8:38 p.m. ET, ESPN2
Thursday, October 3
*Game 3: Detroit Tigers at Houston Astros, 2:32 p.m. ET, ABC
*Game 3: Kansas City Royals at Baltimore Orioles, 4:08 p.m. ET, ESPN
*Game 3: New York Mets at San Diego Padres, 7:08 p.m. ET, ESPN
*Game 3: Atlanta Braves at Milwaukee Brewers, 8:38 p.m. ET, ESPN2
If you don’t have access to ABC via cable providers, there are other streaming options like Fubo TV, Hulo, or YouTube TV that should allow you to catch all the games.
Eat’em up Tigers, eat’em up!