CLEVELAND -- While the Tigers try to make up ground in their playoff chase, the time has come to put potential postseason tickets up for purchase. Tickets for a potential American League Wild Card Game and potential Division Series games will go on sale Thursday at 10 a.m. ET at tigers.com.
Tickets will be available online only, not by phone or in person at the Comerica Park box office.
The AL Wild Card Game is scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 4. The Tigers would have to win the first Wild Card spot to host the game. They entered Friday's series opener against the Indians two games behind the Blue Jays and Orioles for the Wild Card lead. The AL Division Series opens on Thursday, Oct. 6, but the Tigers would open on the road unless they won the AL Central and captured one of the top two division seeds.
Games 1 and 2 of a Division Series will be at the higher-seeded team on Oct. 6-7, with the lower-seeded team hosting Games 3 and 4 (if necessary) on Oct. 9-10.
Suite packages are also available for postseason games by calling 313-471-2222. Fans who place a deposit on full season ticket packages for next season are guaranteed the opportunity to purchase postseason tickets for this year.
V-Mart searching for power
Though Victor Martinez remains on the verge of a 25-homer rebound season, his pace has slowed. He entered Friday batting .231 (18-for-78) with one home run, three doubles and three RBIs since Aug. 24. His lone homer in that stretch was a clutch one, a tiebreaking solo shot off Baltimore's Brad Brach last Friday at Comerica Park.
Manager Brad Ausmus said he isn't aware of any major injury with him, but acknowledged the knee could always be a concern. His right-handed swing seems fine, Ausmus said, more so than the other side.
"I think that knee's going to bother him from time to time," Ausmus said, "for the rest of his life."
"Victor is 38 years old," Tigers head athletic trainer Kevin Rand said. "He's playing every single day out there. He's an older player. Some good days, some bad days. He works very hard, works hard to keep himself out there. Some days he's going to feel better than others. Day games after night games [are] a little more difficult."