CLEVELAND — After the Detroit Tigers won their American League wild-card series against Houston, Tigers manager A.J. Hinch texted back and forth with Jackson Jobe, the prized pitching prospect, after his postseason debut.

“Just let him know that I thought he did tremendously well,” Hinch said Friday. “If anything, the way that he threw the ball gives me more confidence that he can handle it.”

In the seventh inning of Game 2, with the Tigers holding a 1-0 lead — which was at that moment the biggest moment of the season — Hinch brought in Jobe, even though Jobe had just four innings of MLB experience.

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“I know I put him in a tough, unfamiliar spot, but this kid can handle it, and I'm excited to get it back on the mound,” Hinch said.

Even though the Tigers won’t announce their roster until Saturday morning, Hinch suggested Jobe will be on it. “I expect him to be on this roster,” Hinch said. “We haven't announced our roster yet, but he's equipped to do this and pitch as many innings as we need.”

Jobe didn’t have much luck against Houston.

He hit Victor Caratini with the first pitch. Then, Jeremy Peña looped a ball into center.

After a mound visit, there was a malfunction in the PitchCom system pitchers and catchers use to communicate.

“It got a little loud,” Jobe said with a laugh. “I said, (catcher Jake Rogers), ‘I can't hear you.’

“I had never put the PitchCom in the hat myself. And so I'm getting that deal out, trying to put it in. There's 40,000 screaming. I'm like, 'I've never done this before.'”

After that delay, Mauricio Dubón bunted to third to, but the Tigers couldn’t make a play, loading the bases.

“I thought, aside from the first pitch I threw, I thought I made some some pretty good pitches, and things just didn't happen to go my way,” Jobe said Friday. “But that's baseball. It’s not the first time that's happened. It won't be the last time. But as far as the whole experience, I felt good, I felt comfortable, it felt like just another outing.”

With the bases loaded and no outs, Jobe faced pinch-hitter Jon Singleton. He hit a grounder to first baseman Spencer Torkelson, who dived, fielded it and flipped it home from his knees. But Rogers couldn’t come up with the one-hopper.

Jose Altuve was next, and hit a foul ball to right fielder Matt Vierling, who caught it in foul territory. But Peña came charging home and beat the throw, as the Astros took a 2-1 lead.

“He didn't even get hit hard,” Hinch said. “There wasn't a ball that was on the barrel. You know, I think the closest thing was a was 180-foot pop up that Vierling caught in foul territory. So he got a little unlucky. Clipped the first hitter, slow ground ball. We didn't convert it into an out. Altuve hits the pop up down the line. So, I mean, his inning could have gone very differently. That's exactly what I told him.”

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The past few weeks have been a whirlwind for Jobe, getting called up from the minors, joining a team fighting for the playoffs, making his MLB debut on Sept. 25 and, finally, a baptism by fire in the post season.

“It means a lot the confidence that had me throw ut there when it means the most,” he said. “Having really never come out of the bullpen before. It meant a lot to me, and I'm hoping to get more of those opportunities and more of those chances.”

When Jobe was asked what pitching coach Chris Fetter or Hinch told him after the game, he said they said the perfect thing.

“I pitched my tail off, and things didn't go my way, and they're gonna get back out there because they need me in those type of situations,” Jobe said. “That's exactly what I needed to hear, especially after all that happened. Because I want to go out there and obviously do well. Put up zeros for the team. It didn't happen. And it sucked. But put my head down and be ready for the next one.”

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Contact Jeff Seidel: jseidel@freepress.com. Follow him on X @seideljeff. To read his recent columns, go to freep.com/sports/jeff-seidel.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers 'can't wait' to get prospect Jackson Jobe back on mound