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The Detroit Tigers season will continue as the team has advanced to the Division Series. After the Tigers made an improbable run to the playoffs, Detroit beat the Houston Astros 2-0 in the Wild Card round. The team will move on to face the American League’s number two seed the Cleveland Guardians in the ALDS. The win was particularly sweet for Tigers manager AJ Hinch, who managed the Astros from 2015-2019 and won the World Series with the team in 2017 before being fired in the wake of Houston’s notorious sign-stealing debacle.
Following the Tigers 5-2 victory over the Astros on Wednesday, Hinch was asked for his thoughts on beating Houston and advancing in the playoffs. Hinch simply responded, “Isn’t baseball great? It’s unbelievable” before walking away, per ABC’s Ryan Field on X.
After taking the first game 3-1 behind six scoreless innings from ace Tarik Skubal, the Tigers turned to the bullpen for Game Two. Detroit used seven pitchers to hold the Astros to two runs on five hits, issuing three walks and striking out five Houston batters.
The Astros plated two runs in the seventh inning to take a 2-1 lead. However, the Tigers broke the game open in the eighth. DH Kerry Carpenter singled to center and scored on a wild pitch after advancing to third base on a Matt Vierling single. After Astros reliever Ryan Pressly walked Colt Keith, Houston brought in Josh Hader. The Astros’ closer walked Spencer Torkelson, which loaded the bases for pinch hitter Andy Ibanez who delivered a three-run double to left.
Tigers manager AJ Hinch earned a satisfying victory over his former team in the Wild Card round
Tigers reliever Sean Guenther worked a clean bottom of the eighth before Will Vest came on in the ninth inning to earn the save. Detroit ended the Astros season with the 5-2 win.
The Astros had reached the ALCS an incredible seven straight years. Houston captured the American League Pennant four times in that stretch and won two championships – most recently beating the Philadelphia Phillies for the title in 2022.
The Astros were caught stealing signs during the 2017 season. Hinch received a year-long suspension from Commissioner Rob Manfred for failing to stop the scheme. After serving his suspension, Hinch was hired to manage the Tigers in 2021.
After finishing with a losing record in his first three seasons with the club, Hinch guided the Tigers to an 86-76 record in 2024, securing the final Wild Card berth. Despite selling at the deadline with the trade of starting pitcher Jack Flaherty to the Los Angeles Dodgers, Detroit got hot over the second half of the season. The Tigers went 39-26 since returning from the All-Star break, good for the third-best record in baseball during that span.
Detroit will head to Cleveland to take on the Guardians in the Division Series beginning Saturday. It will be the Tigers first ALDS appearance since being swept 3-0 by the Baltimore Orioles in 2014.
