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The Detroit Tigers surged into the playoffs with a thrilling late-season rally. Their reward? A three-game set with the Houston Astros, a team that has gone to seven straight ALCS. This is a matchup of two very different MLB teams, and it begins on Tuesday.
The Astros turned around a dreadful early-season funk and ended up comfortably winning the AL West. The Tigers sold at the deadline, called up their prospects, and got red-hot. They earned the sixth seed, though they were tied for fifth.
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Tigers vs. Astros Records and recent form
Detroit (86-76) has been hot for about a month or more. That's what got the team into the playoffs in the first place. Detroit finished its season by winning seven of the final 10 games to ensure a postseason spot.
The Astros went 6-4 in their last 10 games, and it was their victory in the penultimate game of the season that ensured their opponent, the Cleveland Guardians, could not get the top seed in the AL. Overall, they finished 88-73.
Players to watch
Starting pitchers
Tarik Skubal (18-4, 2.39 ERA, 228 SO) vs. Framber Valdez (15-7, 2.91 ERA, 169 SO)
Tarik Skubal has a 0.92 WHIP and 228 strikeouts in 192 innings.
Last Start: Seven innings, two hits, no earned runs, one walk, and seven strikeouts.
Career vs. Astros: 1-1 with a 3.16 ERA and 27 strikeouts in four appearances.
Framber Valdez has a 1.11 WHIP and 169 strikeouts in 176.1 innings.
Last Start: 5.2 innings, eight hits, three earned runs, two walks, and four strikeouts.
Career vs. Tigers: 2-2 with a 2.49 ERA and 43 strikeouts in eight appearances.
Must-watch Hitters
Tigers
Parker Meadows closed the season with eight hits in his final six games played. He has a double, a home run, four runs scored, and two walks during that time.
Riley Greene had 27 hits in 25 games during September. That includes five home runs, four doubles, and a triple. Greene also had 18 RBI and 15 runs.
Astros
Alex Bregman recorded eight hits in the final five games of the MLB season, adding two doubles, two home runs, five RBI, and a walk.
Kyle Tucker had six hits in the last three games. That includes a home run and two RBI and two runs scored.
Tigers vs. Astros Baseball Betting Odds
Tigers vs. Astros Expert Predictions
As it always is in the first game of the playoffs, this game is a matchup of aces. It's the expected AL Cy Young winner who also won the Triple Crown vs. Framber Valdez, a great pitcher in his own right. The Tigers have the advantage there, but the Astros lineup is far deadlier.
Look for Skubal to do everything he can to get his team a win, including a dominant outing in his first postseason start. Detroit might be able to scratch across just enough to steal the opener.
Run Line: -1.5
Total Runs: Under 6.5
Prediction: Tigers 2, Astros 1
