Astros vs. Tigers schedule: Game times, TV channel, pitching matchups, Wild Card Series odds

The 2024 MLB postseason begins this week with the best-of-three Wild Card Series. The No. 3 Houston Astros, winners of the AL West, host the No. 6 Detroit Tigers at Minute Maid Park this week, and the winner will face the Cleveland Guardians in the best-of-five ALDS. The Astros are part of the postseason battle for the eighth consecutive year. The Tigers, meanwhile, are making the playoffs for the first time since 2014.

Here is the Wild Card Series schedule:

Game 1	Tuesday, October 1st	2:32 p.m. ET	ABC/fubo (try for free)
Game 2	Wed, Oct 2nd	2:32 p.m. ET	ABC/fubo (try for free)
Game 3 (if required)	Thu., Oct. 3	2:32 p.m. ET	ABC/fubo (try for free)

Where to see

Date: Tuesday, Oct. 1 | Time: 2:32 p.m. ET
Location: Minute Maid Park (Houston)
Channel: ABC | Electricity: fubo
Likely throwers: LHP Framber Valdez (15-7, 2.91 ERA) vs. LHP Tarik Skubal (18-4, 2.39 ERA)
Opportunities: HOU-135 | DET +115; over/under: 6.5

Game 1 will see the Aces face off as AL Cy Young leader Tarik Skubal takes on Houston’s Framber Valdez in Detroit. Rotations for the remainder of this opening round series are yet to be announced. According to MLB.com, Hunter Brown and Yusei Kikuchi will likely start in Houston’s Games 2 and 3. As for Skubal, the Tigers were able to secure their spot before the final day of the regular season, allowing them to retain their ace for the start of Game 1.

Here’s what you need to know about each team competing in the Wild Card Series.

Tiger: The Tigers are in the playoffs for the first time in a decade, and it’s been an improbable run. As recently as July 4th they were nine games under .500, and as recently as August 2nd they were 16 games out of first place in the AL Central. They weren’t expected to compete this season, and in fact it looked that way for quite a while. Detroit posted a 47-50 score in the first half, and they acted like sellers until the trade deadline, especially with the deal that sent No. 2 starter Jack Flaherty to the Dodgers. However, in the second half, the Tigers posted a 39-26 record with a run differential of plus-47. This surge allowed them to overtake the Twins for the final playoff spot.

The Tigers subplot is manager AJ Hinch. Hinch spent five seasons as manager of the Astros, leading them to the World Series crown in 2017 – the first in franchise history for the entire 2020 season. Then the Tigers gave him a chance at redemption, and now he’s experiencing a sort of “revenge streak” against that Team he led to glory not long ago.

Astros: The Astros will try to make at least the ALCS for the eighth straight year. This makes them the closest thing to a modern MLB dynasty. They’re also looking for their third World Series title in the last eight years. Things didn’t go well for Houston this season under first-year coach Joe Espada. At one point, in early May, they were 12 games under .500, and as late as June 18, they were 10 games behind the Mariners in the AL West. However, the rotation developed well, Alex Bregman found his level and the Astros soared. Recent history teaches us not to doubt this in October.