MLB reveals Wild Card series schedule with Tigers prepping for AJ Hinch revenge

The Detroit Tigers are playing baseball in October and the Motor City is rocking. The Tigers overcame innumerable obstacles and have become the darlings of the MLB Playoffs. Detroit's hopeful Cinderella run through the postseason begins with a trip to A.J. Hinch's old stopping grounds.

The Tigers will head to Houston for the AL Wild Card Series against the Astros. Hinch, of course, managed the Astros for five seasons and led Houston to their first ever World Series title in 2017. In order to lead the Tigers back to the promised land, Detroit's skipper will have to take down his former ball club.

Though the National League still has a few spots to sort out on Monday, the American League Wild Card Series schedules are set in stone. The entire state of Michigan may well close up shop around lunchtime over the next few days, with the Tigers-Astros series set to be MLB's appetizer for an entire day of postseason baseball.

Tigers-Astros AL Wild Card Series schedule: Detroit looks to continue its winning ways in Houston

The Tigers will take the field at Minute Maid Park at 2:32 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series against the Astros will be the first of four games played on Tuesday, Wednesday, and perhaps even Thursday. The Wild Card Series are the best-of-three, so the first team to record two victories will move on to the Division Series.

The Tigers haven't yet released their playoff roster, and Hinch hasn't set his starting rotation. But likely AL Cy Young Award-winner Tarik Skubal hasn't pitched since September 24th, so the left-hander will have had plenty of rest and is surely in line to be Hinch's Game 1 starter.

The Tigers have surprised everyone throughout MLB, even their own fanbase. Detroit was left for dead back on August 11th, but has overcome the odds and are back in the postseason for the first time in a decade. The Detroit faithful don't want the dream to end, but going up against the Astros won't be a picnic.

Houston had advanced to the ALCS seven years in a row. But if Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, and Co. are looking to make it eight straight, they'll have to go through the Tigers in order to do it.

Tell your boss you're taking off early on Tuesday to saddle up in your favorite easy chair for the Tigers' first playoff game since 2014. If Detroit can somehow upend Houston in the AL Wild Card Series, the Tigers will advance to play their division rival, the Cleveland Guardians in the American League Division Series. Game 1 of ALDS starts on Saturday, October 5th at Progressive Field.

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