The 2024 MLB Playoffs begin on Tuesday afternoon with the AL Wild Card Round kicking off the action.

The Detroit Tigers will travel to take on the Houston Astros in the first game of the three-day marathon to see who will advance to the Division Series. The Baltimore Orioles will also host three games, if necessary, against the Kansas City Royals.

It will be an exciting week as the Wild Card round begins and provides some of the most exciting moments of the season.

6-Detroit Tigers at 3-Houston Astros

Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2:32 PM ET on ABC

Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2:32 PM ET on ABC

Thursday, Oct. 3, 2:32 PM ET on ABC

On Tuesday, a lefty matchup will take place as Framber Valdez and Tarik Skubal will take the mound for their respective teams. In a three-game set, the team that wins Game 1 holds a major advantage.

This series is between a team that does this every year and one that seemed to catch extreme lightning in a bottle. Detroit’s pitching staff is red hot, ranking first with an ERA of 2.91 since the trade deadline, which is tops in the league. The Tigers have won 21 of Skubal’s 31 starts this season. Also, the bullpen finished with the second-best ERA since the trade deadline at 2.71.

Houston recovered from a dreadful start to the season and rebounded to win the AL West. There is not much that can replace experience in the biggest moments of the season and there is no team that has been through much recently more than the Astros. Alex Bregman has continued to be an extra-base hit machine this season with 26 home runs and 30 doubles. Justin Verlander is banged up but the pitching staff remains strong and again, experienced.

The American League has seen teams make a run out of the Wild Card round in recent years. This is a chance for the red-hot Astros to do the same thing.

Prediction: Astros win series 2-0

5-Kansas City Royals at 4-Baltimore Orioles

Tuesday, Oct. 1, 4:08 PM ET on ESPN2

Wednesday, Oct. 2, 4:38 PM ET on ESPN

Thursday, Oct. 3, 4:08 PM ET on ESPN

This might be the series to watch over the first three days of the postseason. The Baltimore Orioles did not have the year that was expected, finishing second in the AL East and will host this Wild Card round. On the other side, the Kansas City Royals emerged as one of the best teams in the American League.

Corbin Burnes will take the mound for the Orioles. This was the big-splash move for Baltimore in the offseason and he will get the ball for the first time in the postseason in Baltimore. Burnes had an incredible season that lived up to expectations. He threw 194 1/3 innings and pitched to a 2.92 ERA with 181 strikeouts in 32 starts. Burnes is one of the bulldogs in the league and will take on an impressive Royals’ lineup, led by Bobby Witt Jr.

Kansas City might be without Vinnie Pasquantino in this series, who suffered a broken thumb at the end of August. He was hoping to return for the Wild Card round but Kansas City might be without its major power bat. Witt Jr. leads the way as an AL MVP candidate. Salvador Perez was there during the best days for Kansas City in 2014-15 and has the leadership for a young, explosive team.

The pitching matchups will be incredible all week and it begins with Burnes and Cole Ragans. The games being played in Baltimore will be a major advantage but the Royals will be able to battle.

Prediction: Orioles win series 2-1