HOUSTON — A young man from the Clear Fork Valley is about to start on the mound for the Houston Astros in Game 1 of a playoff series.

A.J. Blubaugh will get the ball today in the Astros’ biggest game of the year.

The rookie right-hander will start Game 1 of the best-of-three American League Wild Card Series between the Astros and Chicago White Sox at 5 p.m. at Daikin Park.

Hagen Smith will start for the White Sox as the best two-out-of-three series begins.

According to MLB.com, the most recent Astros rookie to start a postseason game was Luis Garcia in Game 6 of the 2021 World Series. But Houston has never started a rookie in Game 1 of a postseason series.

A Clear Fork High School graduate, the 26-year-old Blubaugh was one of the most dependable relievers in all of baseball this season. He made 64 appearances and threw 96 innings, tops among relievers across Major League Baseball.

He led baseball with 27 relief appearances of at least two innings.

Astros manager Joe Espada said Monday the series opener would be a bullpen day. Espada praised Blubaugh as his role expanded later in the season.

“The moments are not getting too big for him anymore,” Espada said of Blubaugh earlier this month.

Blubaugh is 5-3 with a 3.66 earned run average and 94 strikeouts. He last pitched Friday, allowing one hit and one earned run in two-thirds of an inning against the Athletics, a 6-5 Houston loss.

Blubaugh didn’t allow a run in three appearances against the White Sox this season. He struck out three in four innings of work and picked up a win against Chicago earlier this month.

Monday’s playoff opener will be Blubaugh’s first start of the season, though he started three times during a brief stint in 2025. He was a starter earlier in his pro career and a two-time Horizon League Reliever of the Year at Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

“He can fill so many different hats,” Astros assistant pitching coach Ethan Katz told The Athletic earlier this month.

Blubaugh is just glad to get the chance to live his childhood dream.

“In my prayers, I thank God every single day for what He has blessed me with, every opportunity He has given me,” Blubaugh said during a road trip to Cleveland in April.

“I thank Him for all the people He has put in my life to get me to this point.”