DETROIT – It took until the regular season finale, but we finally know who the Detroit Tigers will play in the wild card round of the playoffs.

Detroit’s loss and Kansas City’s win on Sunday dropped the Tigers to the final wild-card spot in the American League. That means they travel to Houston to play the Astros in the first round.

The Tigers picked up 31 wins in 42 games to clinch a playoff spot Friday night, and for a few days it looked like they would head to Baltimore for the best-of-three series.

But the Tigers didn’t seem to have a preference between the Astros and Orioles. They spent the last two days preparing their roster for the postseason, losing two games to the weak Chicago White Sox.

It wouldn’t have mattered if the Braves had beaten the Royals, but Kansas City was able to avoid that with a win Sunday.

The Tigers and Astros played six times this year, but the last time was in mid-June. Houston won two of three games in both series.

Well, this is a completely different team. When they left Houston on June 16, the Tigers were in the midst of a 3-10 stretch that dropped them nine games below .500.

Fast forward to the end of the season, and the Tigers are 10 games in, sitting at 86-76.

Game 1 is Tuesday after an off day and the Tigers will have soon-to-be AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal on the mound.

Game 2 is on Wednesday, and if the two teams then draw 1-1, the decisive Game 3 is on Thursday.

All three games will take place in Houston.

If the Tigers get past the Astros, they will face a best-of-five series with the Cleveland Guardians.