Detroit Tigers Manager A.J. Hinch Joins Exclusive List by Facing Houston Astros
The run that the Detroit Tigers made to qualify for the 2024 MLB playoffs was historical in its own right.
There had been only four teams previously who qualified for the postseason after trailing by double-digit games at least 115 contests into the regular season. The Tigers became the fifth to accomplish that feat, as their playoff odds were under one percent in August.
Detroit has more momentum than anyone entering October baseball, as they are the hottest team in the American League. The second hottest was the Houston Astros, who they drew as an opponent in the Wild Card Round.
It creates an intriguing matchup. Not only are both teams playing well, there is a drastic difference in postseason experience.
The Tigers had one player in their starting lineup, Matt Vierling, with a postseason appearance. Multiple individual players on the Astros have more playoff experience than the entire Detroit roster combined.
That didn’t phase the young team in Game 1, as they were able to win 3-1 behind their ace Tarik Skubal.
It will be interesting to see how manager A.J. Hinch navigates things the remainder of the way. They made it through the end of the regular season mixing and matching openers with bulk pitchers whenever Skubal and Keider Montero didn’t take the mound as starters.
Will that strategy continue being fruitful in the postseason?
As the most experienced person in the dugout, Hinch knows what it takes to win in October. He was the manager of the Astros when their streak of seven ALCS appearances began in 2017 with a World Series victory.
Facing off against his old team will certainly be emotional. It will also be a historic achievement for the veteran manager.
As shared by Sarah Longs on X, Hinch is only the third person in MLB history to face a team in the playoffs who he previously led to a World Series title.
The other instances were Terry Francona with Cleveland in 2016 vs. the Boston Red Sox in the 2016 ALDS and Billy Martin with the Oakland Athletics in the 1981 ALCS against the New York Yankees.
Tigers at Astros means A.J. Hinch will be the 3rd manager to face a team in a postseason series that he previously managed to a World Series title, joining:
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) September 29, 2024
Terry Francona (with CLE) vs. BOS in the 2016 ALDS
Billy Martin (with OAK) vs. NYY in the 1981 ALCS
h/t @EliasSports
In his third season in Houston, in 2017, Houston won the World Series. But, he was fired in 2020 as part of the sign-stealing saga that unfolded.
In five years with the Astros, Hinch was 481-329 in the regular season and 28-22 in the postseason. In Year 4 with the Tigers he is 307-341 in the regular season and now 1-0 in the playoffs.
Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. In addition to his work here, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.