Tigers will start Tyler Holton vs Guardians in ALDS Game 1

CLEVELAND — The Detroit Tigers are going back to the Tyler Holton well.

The versatile lefty will start Game 1 of the ALDS on Saturday against the Cleveland Guardians.

“Excited,” Holton said Friday at Progressive Field. “You know, going to be a really fun atmosphere. You can already tell. You can already feel being out there. Just excited, hoping to get us off to a good start.”

This will be Holton’s third appearance in three postseason games. Holton, 28, pitched in Game 1 of the American League wild-card series against the Houston Astros, pitching one out in the eighth inning of a 3-1 win. Then, Holton started Game 2 against Houston, throwing one inning in the 5-2 win.

“It was very special,” Holton said. “I had family in attendance, and it was something that I will look back one day and be really grateful in having that moment with them and celebrating with them after the game and whatnot, just because that’s the first time that I’ve had that many family being in attendance and watching me pitch. So that was special. But it definitely hasn’t quite hit me yet. I still have more games ahead of us and whatnot, and hopefully the family can come out again and see us play some more baseball.”

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Holton has not allowed a hit against four batters faced in the two postseason appearances.

“I think he can handle the emotion of that by being a bully in the strike zone and getting really key outs,” Tigers manager AJ Hinch said Friday. “He just did it the other day. I’m not sure how many people have started back-to-back games, but he’s going to be on the shortlist.”

What makes him so special?

“Slow heartbeat is the first ingredient,” Hinch said. “Being able to get anybody out is also key. He’s got pitches for everybody. He can get creative. He can be stubborn. He’s a strike thrower, but the slow heartbeat allows me to deploy him at any time. I think he’s pitched in every inning, including the 10th. Not sure if he got to the 11th or 12th, but he’s the type of pitcher you want in every situation. So I know it’s unique for a reliever to have as many innings as he has, but he never He feels overused or tired. He can get righties out.

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Holton, who went 7-2 with a 2.19 ERA and eight saves across 66 appearances (including nine starts as the opener) in the regular season.

“It’s been a couple months since we’ve played this team, but as far as I remember they’ve got a lot of lefties and they have a few switch-hitters as well and José Ramírez being right there in the middle of the lineup ” Holton said. “He’s probably going to be the most important matchup. I know we had intentionally walked him in past games.”

The Guardians will start right-hander Tanner Bibee, who had a 3.50 ERA against the Tigers in three July starts.

“It’s going to come down to just a few pitches in the game that’s going to turn the direction their way or our way,” Holton said. “So each and every pitch is going to have huge implications, and don’t know who’s going to be in the game when those pitches come. But hopefully we’re going to be coming out on top.”

Contact Jeff Seidel at [email protected] or follow him @seideljeff.