Astros host the Detroit Tigers in Wild Card series
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Framber Valdez will be today's starter. Photo: Tim Warner/Getty Images
October means more baseball in Houston, and the Astros are at it again.
Why it matters: The winner of the American League Wild Card series will face the Cleveland Guardians in the AL Division Series.
- The loser's season is over, and their dreams are crushed.
Driving the news: Houston hosts the Detroit Tigers in Game 1 of the three-game series at 1:30pm Tuesday.
- The AL Division Series starts Saturday.
Catch up quick: Houston finished the regular season as AL West champions with an 88-73 (.547) record, securing a Wild Card spot as the No. 3 seed in the AL.
- This is the Astros' eighth postseason appearance in nine years, which produced two World Series championships and four AL pennants.
Zoom in: Framber Valdez, who finished the season with a 2.91 ERA, will take the mound Tuesday for the Astros.
- Most of the Astros regulars, including Chas McCormick, will likely start Tuesday, although outfielder Yordan Álvarez is still nursing an injured knee.
The other side: The Tigers, led by former Astros manager A.J. Hinch, punched the team's first postseason ticket in a decade this year.
- They were 55-63 (.466) in August but then went on a miracle run late in the season, winning 31 of 42 games to secure their spot.
- The Tigers are the No. 6 seed but are far from an easy challenge. They secured 86 overall regular season wins in a super-competitive AL East.
💭 Jay's thought bubble: Hinch has received warm welcomes in Minute Maid Park during the regular season since he moved to Detroit after the 2017 World Series. He'll always be fondly remembered by Houston fans for bringing us a championship.
- But, as Hinch ought to know, Houston in October is something else.
How to watch: The game will air on ABC. Tickets are still available starting at $34.
- Game 2 on Wednesday and Game 3 on Thursday, if necessary, will also be played in Houston and on ABC.