The 2017 MLB playoff schedule officially gets underway Tuesday evening in New York when the surprising Minnesota Twins take on the new york yankees in the American League Wild Card Game. The Twins are the first team in baseball history to make the postseason after losing over 100 games the previous year. The Yankees, who admittedly were in a rebuilding mode, shocked many experts by having such a great season in 2017, and one of the main reasons why is rookie Aaron Judge.

Judge is the difference

Aaron Judge will be the 2017 AL Rookie of the year, and he may possibly win the AL MVP as well.

However, right now all the slugging right fielder wants to do is help the Yankees move on to the ALDS. To do so, New York must defeat the pesky Minnesota Twins Thursday night. Judge told Newsday that the regular season was great, but the real season is about to begin.

“Well, that’s what it’s all about, postseason baseball,’’ Judge said Monday at Yankee Stadium on the eve of Tuesday’s wild-card game with the Twins. “The regular season, it’s kind of like spring training’s over. This is the regular season now. This is what it’s all about. This is where a lot of those [retired] numbers that are hanging out there in left field, this is where they made a name for themselves, in the postseason.”

Santana is Twins best, but Yankees own him

The Yankees may be favored to win Tuesday’s Wild Card game, but they will have to beat Minnesota’s best pitcher in Ervin Santana to do so.

The good news for Bombers fans is that beating Santana has never been a problem. Santana’s record is 0-5 with a 6.43 ERA in six career starts at the new Yankee Stadium. If you are a Twins fan and are looking for a silver lining, here it is - Santana is 10-3 on the road this season with an ERA of 2.71 and in his last two starts in Yankee Stadium he allowed just three runs in 10²/₃ innings.

How to watch, Vegas odds and prediction

Can the Twins upset the heavily favored Yankees? In a one-game playoff, anything can happen. Add to that, that the Twins are the ultimate underdog predicted by almost no one outside of the state of Minnesota to advance to the next round. Sometimes having no one believing in you can be just the right thing to help you get the job done!

This game is going to come down to who has the better bullpen, and that edge goes to the Yankees. For Minnesota to win, Santana will have to be lights out. It’s a close one, but the Yankees will pull out a thriller in the Bronx.

Pick -- NY Yankees

Fans will be able to watch every pitch of the Al Wild Card game between the Twins and Yankees nationally on ESPN. The game will also stream live online through Watch ESPN. Las Vegas oddsmakers have the New York Yankees installed as a huge favorite at -230. The over/under run total is set at 7.5. First pitch is scheduled for just after 8 p.m. ET.