HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) — October baseball is almost here. So Astros fans, mark your calendars because the stage is set for the 2024 American League Wild Card matchup!

The Astros will face the Detroit Tigers in their first game of the postseason.

Last Tuesday, the Astros defeated the Seattle Mariners with a 4-3 victory at Minute Maid Park to clinch their fourth straight AL West title. Houston enters the 2024 postseason as the No. 3 seed in the AL.

The AL Wild Card Series is a best-of-three format. Since the Astros were seeded higher than Detroit, Houston has home field advantage in all three games.

2024 AL Wild Card Schedule:

Game 1: – Tuesday, October 1st: Detroit in Houston, ABC131:32 p.m

Game 2: – Wednesday, October 2nd: Detroit in Houston, ABC131:30 p.m

Game 3 (if necessary): – Thursday, October 3rd: Detroit in Houston, ABC131:30 p.m

All times are central time.

The Astros were 4-2 against the Tigers in the regular season.

Who could possibly be the Astros’ starting player for the AL Wild Card Series?

It’s more likely that Houston will go with Framber Valdez (Game 1), Hunter Brown (Game 2) and Yusei Kikuchi (Game 3) as potential starters for the series. Astros manager Joe Espada will also rely heavily on his bullpen expertise with players like Spencer Arrighetti, Ronel Blanco, Hector Neris, Bryan Abreu, Josh Hader and Ryan Pressly. Over the course of the 2024 regular season, the ‘Stros lost a handful of pitchers to injuries, including Cristian Javier, Jose Urquidy, Lance McCullers Jr. and Luis Garcia.

Yordan Alvarez’s status for the postseason?

Yordan Alvarez’s status for the series against the Tigers is uncertain. The 27-year-old All-Star slugger from Cuba has been sidelined with a right knee injury since suffering it in Houston’s 9-8 loss to the Los Angeles Angels in the MMP on Sept. 22.

Will JV be involved in the Astros’ postseason rotation?

Astros pitcher Justin Verlander started Saturday’s game against the Cleveland Guardians. Saturday’s start marked JV’s final regular season start with the Astros. The 41-year-old veteran has plenty of postseason experience with an incredible resume including two World Series titles, three Cy Young Awards, an American League MVP and more. Still, the Astros face a big decision whether to add the future Hall of Famer to their pitching rotation in October.

Joe Espada vs AJ Hinch

From teammates to opponents, it will be the first postseason meeting between first-year Astros manager Joe Espada and Tigers manager AJ Hinch. Both Espada and Hinch were drafted by the Oakland Athletics and their counterparts the Astros in 1996.

Espada was promoted to Astros manager following the resignation of Dusty Baker and spent six years as the team’s reserve coach under Baker and Hinch.

During Hinch’s stay in Houston, he led the Stros to five straight postseason appearances from 2015 to 2019 and won the 2017 World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 2020, Hinch was fired and suspended for the 2020 season for his role in the Astros’ sign-stealing scandal during the 2017 and 2018 seasons.

On October 30, 2020, Hinch was named the next manager of the Detroit Tigers.

Ticket prices for the AL Wild Card games?

The Official Partner of the Astros, SeatGeekis currently offering Game 1 tickets starting at $21.

Expect these odds to fluctuate depending on demand, especially if the ‘Stros win or lose the AL Wild Card opener.

Eyewitness Sports is ready to bring you the celebration of the start of Houston’s path to a third World Series championship. Be sure to check out ABC13 all fall to follow the Stros.