Cleveland Guardians vs Detroit Tigers Picks and Predictions July 23rd 2024

Guardians, Facing Tigers, Try to Avoid Longest Skid of Season

As the Detroit Tigers heat up, the Cleveland Guardians continue to struggle. Winners in 11 of their past 14 games, the visiting Tigers aim to hand the American League Central-leading Guardians their season-high fourth consecutive loss on Tuesday night.

Tigers’ Recent Success

Key Players and Performances

The Tigers have been on a tear, approaching a .500 record and exuding confidence after an 8-2 rout of the Guardians on Monday. Detroit rookie Justyn-Henry Malloy hit a two-run homer, while Matt Vierling and Mark Canha each contributed three hits. Tarik Skubal, despite allowing a career-high 10 hits, surrendered just one run over seven innings.

“Came out swinging, came out scoring,” Tigers catcher Jake Rogers told Bally Sports. “Pretty proud of us. … (Success is) catching up with us,” he added.

Detroit has averaged 5.8 runs and hit 22 home runs in the past 14 games. Malloy, who hit his first grand slam on Sunday during a 5-4 loss at Toronto, has seven homers in 36 games this season, showcasing his growing impact on the team.

Season Series Against the Guardians

The Tigers are 5-3 against the Guardians this season, continuing to assert dominance in the season series with a third consecutive win.

“Those are your division rivals. You want to beat them, move up,” Malloy said regarding the importance of these matchups.

Guardians’ Recent Struggles

Offensive Woes

The Guardians have hit a rough patch, batting .225 and averaging just 3.3 runs over their past 22 contests. During their current three-game skid, they have managed only three runs, all at home where they hold a 31-14 record.

All-Star Steven Kwan’s performance has dipped, batting .200 (7-for-35) with one extra-base hit and no RBIs in his last nine games after hitting .363 on July 9.

“You know the bats are going to come back, it’s just part of baseball,” Guardians pitcher Ben Lively commented on the team’s official website.

Pitching Plans

The Guardians will send Xzavion Curry (0-2, 5.19 ERA) to the mound for his first start since being recalled from Triple-A Columbus on July 12. Curry, who pitched 1 1/3 innings of relief on the same day, is 0-1 with a 5.68 ERA in three major league starts this season. He has a 3.27 ERA without a decision in two career starts against the Tigers.

Detroit’s Pitching Strategy

Detroit is supposed to have a warm up area day on Tuesday because of late wounds in their turn. The Tigers had not named a starter for the matchup Monday night, demonstrating an adaptable way to deal with their pitching staff.

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Key Matchups and Player Exhibitions

Riley Greene and Matt Vierling

Detroit All-Star Riley Greene had his eight-game hitting streak end on Monday however is 3-for-8 against Curry. Matt Vierling, hitless in one at-bat versus Curry, is hitting .364 (12-for-33) with six copies and a homer in his beyond eight games and .360 (9-for-25) in six games against the Guardians this season.

Jose Ramirez

Regardless of the Guardians’ battles at the plate, star Jose Ramirez has been a reliable entertainer against the Tigers, batting .333 (10-for-30) against them this season.

Conclusion

The Tigers, riding a flood of late achievement, intend to expand their hot streak and further gouge the Guardians’ certainty. Then again, Cleveland desires to quickly return and keep away from their longest series of failures of the season. With critical exhibitions from players like Justyn-Henry Malloy and Xzavion Curry, the stage is set for a captivating matchup in this urgent AL Focal standoff.