DETROIT >> It may seem like baseball’s version of the hidden ball trick, but it’s really not.

Manager AJ Hinch, as he has for the last two months, will not publicly announce who he’s giving the ball to first for Game 3 of the American League Division Series until sometime Wednesday morning. But Guardians’ manager Stephen Vogt will know long before that.

“We are going to talk today and devise a plan and make sure Cleveland knows so they can build their lineup and strategy,” Hinch said Tuesday morning. “We haven’t come to that determination yet. We have a lot of options.

“But we’re not hiding the ball on them at all. They will know by the end of their workout (Tuesday afternoon) what our plans are for the first inning.”

After the first inning, well, Vogt will have to keep his eyes on the Tigers’ bullpen to see what’s coming next. Just as Hinch did in Game 2, knowing that starter Matthew Boyd wasn’t going to go much past four innings.

“It’s definitely different,” Guardians’ leadoff hitter Steven Kwan said Tuesday. “We obviously game plan for a starter, and then you kind of get a feel for it as it goes second and third time. But with it being a new arm every time, it’s different. Thankfully, we’ve faced these guys before. I think if it was out of division, it would be a little tougher, seeing these guys for the first time in these high-leverage games.

“But we saw some of these guys in the minor leagues as well, which is really fortunate for us.”

Hinch said 10 of his 12 pitchers will be available. The two that aren’t, of course, are Tarik Skubal, who threw 92 pitches Monday, and Reese Olson, who threw 73 pitches in Game 1 Saturday. But unlike after Game 1, there is no off-day after Game 3.

It will force Hinch to be more judicious with which and how many cards he plays out of his bullpen.

“Every decision I make in Game 3 will impact availability in Game 4 (Thursday),” he said. “But at this time of year, guys are more available than they are during the regular season. Someone throwing 30 to 40 pitches, they will be available the next day if they’re in the bullpen.

“Somebody throwing 60, 70, 80 pitches, like Reese did, he’s on more a natural five-day rest period.”

Given the left-handedness at the top of the Guardians’ lineup, nobody would be shocked if Hinch sent Tyler Holton back out there for the first inning Wednesday, even though he was nicked for four runs in Game 1.

It also wouldn’t be a surprise if rookie lefty Brant Hurter sees his first action of the ALDS. The Guardians haven’t faced him yet and he’s handled left-handed hitting well in his 45.1 regular season innings (.225/.236/.296).

Hurter, though, has thrown just 1.2 innings in 16 days, with those 1.2 innings coming in Game 2 of the Wild Card Series in Houston.

Hinch was asked if Hurter, with the relative lack of work, can still be considered for “bulk” innings.

“He can pitch at any moment and yes, he can still be considered for whatever we want to call him — something short, something long and anywhere in between,” Hinch said. “He’s keeping himself ready by continuing to touch the mound (throw bullpens).”

During the off-day in Cleveland, Kenta Maeda and Casey Mize, two pitchers not on the ALDS roster, threw live batting practice. Hurter did not. Hinch explained why.

“Kenta and Casey are pretty much guaranteed not to pitch in this series unless there’s an injury,” he said. “The other guys have to be ready every day. We have to be careful we don’t tax anybody to the point where they’re not going to be 100% in the next game.”

It’s a tough balance. Rookie Ty Madden didn’t pitch for eight days and looked rusty in brief outing in Game 1 Saturday (three walks, one hit, two runs in two-thirds of an inning).

“It’s a new role for some of these guys,” Hinch said, mentioning Hurter, Madden, Jackson Jobe and Keider Montero. “But it’s an introduction to October baseball. They’ve got to be ready.”

The Tigers knew who they will face in Game 3, but more so by name than game. Right-hander Alex Cobb, 37, is a 13-year veteran but, coming off hip surgery and also dealing with shoulder soreness and blister issues, he’s only made three starts this season.

“I know how competitive he is,” Hinch said. “I’ve seen him from the other side in multiple uniforms. And one thing I’ve learned, when multiple teams want you and you end up popping up in a lot of different places, it’s because you are good.”

The Guardians acquired Cobb from San Francisco at the trade deadline. It was Tigers’ president Scott Harris who recruited Cobb to the Giants and helped him resuscitate his career. Cobb was an All-Star in 2023.

“He’s going to move the ball around,” Hinch said. “He’s not going to throw the same pitch twice and he doesn’t make a lot of mistakes. He gets the ball on the ground a lot.”

In his three starts this season, Cobb has relied on his splitter (89 mph), sinker (94 mph) and knuckle curve. He hasn’t used a slider or four-seamer, though both pitches are in his toolkit.

“We have to try to get the ball in the air,” Hinch said. “And we have to capitalize on any mistakes or any opportunities we get.”

And it would behoove them to do it early. Like with Boyd, Vogt won’t hesitate to unleash his bullpen monsters.

“We’ve had eight or nine very good arms in that bullpen and we trust all of them in every situation,” he said. “And that’s been one of the biggest keys to our success. Anyone could take the ball in any situation, versus left, versus right. Doesn’t matter. They’ve come in and gotten the job done.

“We feel comfortable giving any of those guys the ball at any time.”