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    • Tigers vs. Astros in the 2024 MLB Playoffs Wild Card Series
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    Tigers vs. Astros in the 2024 MLB Playoffs Wild Card Series

    Idris Bevan Posted on

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    Five years ago, AJ Hinch – then manager of the Houston Astros – lost in the 2019 World Series. Hinch was fired by the Astros less than three months later and was sued by the MLB for his role in the sign-stealing scandal in 2017, the year the Astros won the World Series and received a one-season suspension.

    Hinch hasn’t been back in the postseason – until now, as manager of the Detroit Tigers.

    In 2024, the Tigers and Astros will meet in the best-of-three American League Wild Card Series. Teams play on Tuesday, Wednesday and, if necessary, Thursday, with all games taking place at Minute Maid Park in Houston. The winner of the wild card series will play the No. 2 seed Cleveland Guardians in the best-of-five ALDS, with Game 1 taking place on Saturday in Cleveland.

    The 26-member wildcard squad must be finalized by Tuesday, 11 a.m.

    “I think the biggest question will be how much pitching do you include in the three-game series,” Hinch said before Sunday’s regular-season finale, a 9-5 loss to the Chicago White Sox at Comerica Park.

    “It just sounds like, ‘Oh, you can just roll out a small number of pitchers.’ Then you realize that playoff baseball is handled and played differently, with the sense of urgency created by the first runner getting on base. Then you factor in the way we’ve been successful over the last few months, being able to go to the bullpen whenever we want. That will probably produce more pitchers than not. We can only take 13. Does that number come to 13?”

    Squad prediction: Tigers roster prediction for playoffs vs. Astros

    The Tigers (86-76) went 2-4 in the regular season against the Astros (88-73), losing two of three games from May 10-12 at Comerica Park and two of three games from May 14-12 June 16 at Minute Maid Park.

    Both teams have already decided on their starters for Game 1: left-hander Tarik Skubal (18-4, 2.39 ERA) for the Tigers and left-hander Framber Valdez (15-7, 2.91 ERA) for the Astros.

    “Everything you do behind the scenes that no one else sees is worth it,” Skubal said after Friday’s game, “and it will only make me work harder and be a better version of myself. I look forward to it.” “

    The Tigers faced Valdez once this season, with Valdez winning the game on May 10. In that matchup, Valdez allowed two runs on six hits and two walks with four strikeouts over seven innings.

    Meanwhile, the Astros faced Skubal twice this season, with Skubal winning the May 11th game and losing the June 14th game. He pitched 6⅓ innings in both starts, allowing two runs on May 11 and four runs on June 14.

    The 27-year-old Skubal had 35 walks and 228 strikeouts in 192 innings in 31 starts, securing the AL pitching triple crown by leading the AL in wins, ERA and strikeouts. He will make his MLB playoff debut.

    Valdez, 30, had 55 walks and 169 strikeouts in 176⅓ innings in 28 starts. In 16 postseason appearances (15 starts), he is 7-5 with a 4.24 ERA and a 2022 World Series ring.

    The Tigers posted a 21-10 record in Skubal starts this season; The Astros went 19-9 in Valdez starts.

    “We’ll be ready, we’ll be prepared, it’ll be a lot of fun,” Skubal said Friday.

    YOU DID IT: Question for the playoff Tigers: How did you do it and how far can you go?

    The Tigers clinched a postseason berth with Friday’s 4-1 win over the White Sox, capping an improbable 31-11 run (that began Aug. 11) and ending a nine-year losing streak. Three days earlier, the Astros clinched their fourth straight AL West title – and their seventh AL West title in eight years – making the playoffs for the eighth straight year.

    The Astros have gone 55-33 since June 19th.

    “I bet a decent group of people were planning on going to Monday Night Football for the Lions,” Skubal said, referring to the Lions’ upcoming game at Ford Field against the Seattle Seahawks. “I bet a few people planned this. Things have changed. And that’s great. That’s what we wanted.”

    The Tigers slipped to the third wild-card spot – behind the Baltimore Orioles and Kansas City Royals – due to Sunday’s 9-5 loss and the Royals’ 4-2 win over Atlanta. A win would have sent the Tigers to a wild-card series with the Orioles in Baltimore.

    Contact or follow Evan Petzold at [email protected] @EvanPetzold.

    Listen to our weekly Tigers show, Days of Roar, on-demand every Monday afternoon on freep.com, Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. And check out all of our podcasts and daily voice briefings at freep.com/podcasts.

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    Idris Bevan
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