The Detroit Tigers have been struggling as they are third in the AL Central with a 54-66 record right now. Young southpaw Tarik Skubal takes the mound and lost against the Boston Red Sox where he pitched 5.1 innings and gave up five runs (four earned) on seven hits with two walks and three strikeouts.
The Cleveland Guardians have been trying to get going this year as they are currently second in the AL Central with a 58-63 record. Rookie righty Xzavion Curry will be on the mound in this game and is coming off a no-decision against the Tampa Bay Rays where he threw five innings and allowed five runs on six hits with a pair of walks and one strikeout.
Match Details
Fixture: Detroit Tigers vs Cleveland Guardians
Date & Time: Thursday, August 17, 7:15 p.m. EDT
Venue Progressive Field in Cleveland, OH
Tigers vs Guardians Betting Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
| Detroit Tigers | -1.5 (+120) | -135 | Over 8.5 (-135) |
| Cleveland Guardians | +1.5 (-142) | +114 | Under 9.5 (+114) |
Odds Subject to Change**
Tigers vs Guardians Key Stats
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers have been one of the worst teams offensively as they are 29th in MLB while scoring 3.98 runs per game and a .678 team OPS. They have been playing at a poor level throughout the season on the road as they are 27th with a .666 team OPS while averaging four runs in their 61 road games. Right fielder Matt Vierling has been improving at the dish as he has a .270/.324/.386 slash line with seven homers, 29 RBIs, 38 runs scored and five stolen bases while being caught six times.
Tarik Skubal has been pitching very well as he is 2-2 with a 4.18 ERA and a 1.14 WHIP while throwing 32.1 innings in seven starts. He has been getting hit at a .254 batting average, which is the worst of his career. Skubal faced the Guardians twice last season and was 0-0 in 12 innings and allowed three runs on nine hits with one walk and 10 strikeouts.
Cleveland Guardians
The Cleveland Guardians have been one of the worst teams at the plate as they are 26th in the majors with a .693 team OPS while averaging 4.05 runs per game. They have done poorly at home as in their 59 games thus far, they have posted a .247/.312/.380 team slash line while scoring 3.59 runs per game at Progressive Field. First baseman Josh Naylor has been doing incredibly well as he has a .846 OPS with 15 home runs, 79 RBIs, 41 runs scored and six steals on eight attempts.
Xazvion Curry has been primarily pitching out of the bullpen this season as he is 3-1 with a 3.39 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP in 69 innings of work. Hitters have struggled to hit home runs off him as they have eight homers so far. Curry faced the Tigers twice this season out of the bullpen and went 0-0 in four innings and gave up one run on six hits with zero walks and four strikeouts.
Tigers vs. Guardians Prediction
Despite the Tigers having a 2-5 record in Skubal’s seven starts this season, they should be able to win here. Both teams have played 31 games since the All-Star Break and the Tigers have scored six more runs so far. Cleveland is not a great overall team that traded away offensive pieces at the deadline. All in all, go with the Detroit Tigers to pick up a win here.
