Detroit Tigers vs Cleveland Guardians Picks and Predictions July 30th 2024

Jack Flaherty will start for the Tigers on Monday, as they host the Guardians at Comerica Park in Detroit. However, the Tigers come into the game as the slight underdog on the money line (+101), while the Guardians are favored (-119). The over/under line is currently at 7 runs.

The Guardians are currently 1st in the AL Central with a record of 63-42, while the Tigers are 4th in the division at 52-55. This game can be seen on BSDET, and the first pitch from Detroit is set for 6:40 PM ET.

Cleveland vs. Detroit Key Information

Cleveland is sending right-hander Tanner Bibee to the mound today as he faces the Tigers on the road. Bibee has made 21 starts this season and has a record of 8-4. His ERA for the season is 3.50, along with a WHIP of 1.09. In his 21 starts, Bibee has turned in seven quality starts and is averaging 10.12 strikeouts per nine innings. The last time he pitched, Bibee finished with a no-decision, giving up one earned run in five innings of work. Before that outing, he had won two straight starts.

Jose Ramirez and Josh Naylor have been the driving forces behind the Guardians’ offense this season, as they are 1st and 2nd on the team in home runs and are also the top two players in terms of RBIs. Ramirez’s 82 RBIs are the 2nd most in the league, while Naylor’s 72 is good for 6th in the MLB. Over his last eight games, Jhonkensy Noel is hitting .250 with two homers and four RBIs, while Steven Kwan has also gone deep twice in his last nine games.

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As a team, the Guardians are averaging 4.6 runs per game, which is 13th in the league. They have been pretty consistent at home and on the road, averaging 4.4 and 4.7 runs per game, respectively. Overall, they are batting .240, which is 12th in the MLB.

Through 18 starts, Jack Flaherty has a record of 7-5 and an ERA of 2.95. He has made 11 quality starts this year and is averaging 11.22 strikeouts per nine innings. In his last outing, Flaherty finished with a no-decision, going six innings and giving up one earned run on three hits. He did give up two homers in that outing. Before that, he had won two straight starts. Flaherty’s ERA on the road is 2.62, compared to 3.52 at home. The right-hander has a record of 5-2 on the road.

Heading into today’s game, Riley Greene and Matt Vierling are the top two home run hitters for the Tigers this season. Greene has gone deep 17 times, which is 15th in the league, and Vierling is right behind him with 13 homers. Greene also leads the team with 51 RBIs, while Vierling is 2nd on the team with 42 RBIs. Greene is batting .264 for the season, and Vierling is at .256. Greene has also been a tough out this season, as his OBP of .357 is the best mark on the team.

Overall, the Tigers offense is averaging 4.3 runs per game, which is 17th in the league. They are also 14th in home runs and have a collective batting average of just .231, which is 19th in the MLB. Detroit’s team OBP of .297 is 21st in the league, and their OPS of .683 is 22nd. The Tigers have two players on three-game hitting streaks heading into today’s game.

Looking at who we are leaning on taking for a money line pick in this Guardians vs. Tigers matchup, we like the Guardians to come out on top. As for how we would play the over/under line, we would go with the over, as this is projected to be the 8th highest-scoring game of today’s slate, and this one has the 6th highest total hits projection. Cleveland’s offense has the 5th best team batting average in the league, and Tanner Bibee is 5th among today’s starters in projected strikeouts.

Jose Ramirez, Guardians Aim to Win Season Series vs. Tigers

The Cleveland Guardians and the Detroit Tigers are set to choose the victor of their season series in their final matchup of the year on Tuesday afternoon. The American League Central rivals have divided the initial 12 games of the season series. Cleveland, which leads the division and boasts the best record in the AL, leveled the series with a 8-4 triumph over Detroit on Monday.

Jose Ramirez’s Stellar Performance

Jose Ramirez drove the Guardians with two grand slams and a RBI twofold in Monday’s game. The two homers came off left-hander Bryan Sammons, who was making his major league debut.

“It’s incredible what Jose does every night,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said. “Getting a chance to watch him play every day for the first time is special. He got us going with the double, and he continues to amaze me on a nightly basis.”

Tigers’ Young Talent

Detroit catcher Dillon Dingler also made his debut and contributed an RBI double in three at-bats. Dingler’s opportunity came after the Tigers traded Carson Kelly to Texas on Sunday.

“He’ll remember his first hit,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said of Dingler. “We all do, but he’s very mature, he’s very under control. He’s been waiting for this day for a really long time. He’s just really comfortable around the staff.”

Guardians’ Starting Pitcher: Gavin Williams

Cleveland right-hander Gavin Williams (0-3, 4.50 ERA) will start against Detroit for the third time this month and the second time in under seven days. Williams pitched six innings against the Tigers last Thursday, surrendering three runs, six hits, and two walks while striking out nine. All three runs came from a solitary drop by Javier Baez, who hit a three-run homerun in the subsequent inning, leading to a 3-0 Detroit win.

“It was a bad pitch,” Williams said. “It was literally right down the middle. Can’t do anything about that.”

Despite that, Williams had a strong outing, throwing a career-high 105 pitches and showing effectiveness with his slider.

“This was the best Gavin’s slider has looked all year,” Vogt said. “He found it after the long (second) inning, but really he was pounding the zone with his fastball, which is what set everything up. He found the slider, which was really good.”

Williams, in his subsequent season, also threw 5 1/3 scoreless innings against the Tigers on July 8. He faced Detroit once last season, surrendering three runs in five innings.

Tigers’ Uncertain Rotation

The Tigers have not listed a starter for Tuesday’s game. Jack Flaherty was initially scheduled to start on Monday night but was scratched amid trade rumors. Detroit didn’t want to risk him pitching another game while exploring potential deals.

“It always feels a little different around the deadline,” Hinch said. “I know everybody feels it. Jack’s been one of the best pitchers in the American League, if not the entire league. When you scratch him, it’s very notable, and everybody knows why.”

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Guardians’ Roster Additions

Cleveland bolstered its lineup on Monday by trading for Washington outfielder Lane Thomas. However, it’s unlikely that Thomas will make his Guardians debut on Tuesday afternoon due to the quick turnaround.

“One of our goals heading into the deadline was to try to find a way to lengthen the lineup and add some offense,” Cleveland president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said. “We feel we’ve been able to do that by bringing Lane into the organization.”

Game Outlook

As the two teams prepare for the concluding game of the season series, the Guardians are hoping to leverage their new energy and solid performances from central participants like Jose Ramirez. The Tigers, then again, should ad lib their pitching strategy amidst trade uncertainties. Fans can expect a cutthroat and high-stakes game as these AL Central rivals face off for the final time this season.