MLB Tigers vs. Guardians Odds and Prediction for Thursday’s Game

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The defending AL Central Cleveland Guardians are not having a very good season sitting below .500, but they still are in the division race. But it’s about getting to the now or never time for Cleveland to make a move, and it can’t afford to lose at home to a bad team like Detroit on Thursday. With that in mind, let’s see the MLB betting picks for this great game between Tigers vs Guardians.

Detroit Tigers vs. Cleveland Guardians | 2023 MLB Expert Analysis

MLB Week 19: Monday August 14 – Sunday August 20, 2023

How to Bet Detroit at Cleveland MLB Odds & TV Info

When: Thursday, 7:15 PM ET Where: Progressive Field Probable pitchers (away/home): Tarik Skubal/Xzavion Curry TV: MLB Extra Innings Stream/gameday audio: https://www.mlb.com/live-stream-games/ Opening MLB Lines: Tigers -110, Guardians +100 (8.5)

Why Bet on Detroit?

The Tigers are 2-3 on a nine-game trip so far following an 8-7 upset win at Minnesota on Wednesday in a wild game. Spencer Torkelson homered twice against Minnesota for the second time in a week – the former top pick Torkelson smashed Griffin Jax’s 1-1 pitch into the left-field seats at Target Field to give the Tigers a 6-4 lead in a four-run seventh inning, giving the second-year first baseman his fourth career multi-homer game. Torkelson, who also homered Tuesday and almost had a third in the ninth inning Wednesday, leads the Tigers with 20 home runs. He’s the seventh player in club history with that many during his age-23 season. No Tiger has had a three-homer game since Victor Martinez in 2016.

“I feel like I’ve seen the ball well, I have a good solid approach; I’m trusting that even when … I don’t feel amazing at the plate,” said Torkelson, who has six homers in his past seven games. “I feel like I can still compete up there and get the job done, which is more … rewarding than when you’re up there feeling sexy and like you can hit everything, because that’s what’s supposed to happen. But when you can figure out a way to grind out days that you don’t really feel great — that’s a lot more rewarding.”

Outfielder Riley Greene on Wednesday came within a double of becoming the first Tiger to hit for the cycle since Carlos Guillen in 2006. He nearly got it in the ninth, settling for a sacrifice fly that plated Akil Baddoo with the eventual deciding run.

Detroit has 11 straight games with at least one homer. It’s the team’s longest single-season streak since a 13- game stretch from April 4-18, 2017.

Shortstop Javy Baez hasn’t played last Friday because his grandfather recently died and he landed on the bereavement list. Not clear if he will return by Thursday. Per MLB rules, players must spend at least three days — and no more than seven — on the bereavement list. So he could be gone until Sunday.

It’s lefty Tarik Skubal on the mound. Skubal (2-2, 4.18) allowed five runs (four earned) on seven hits and two walks over 5.1 innings last Friday, striking out three and taking a loss against the Red Sox. Skubal gave up one run through three innings before serving up a three-run shot to Triston Casas in the fourth. It was the first homer allowed by Skubal this season. He’s allowed 15 earned runs through seven starts, and he’s turned in four scoreless appearances. Skubal hasn’t faced Cleveland this year.

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Why Bet on Cleveland?

Ahead of Thursday’s game in Cincinnati, the Guardians activated infielder Tyler Freeman from the injured list. He had missed two weeks with shoulder issues but won’t play every day. Brayan Rocchio and Gabriel Arias have been seeing action at shortstop for the Guardians since the Amed Rosario trade, but Freeman could be worked into the mix.

Slugger Josh Naylor landed on the IL Aug. 4 and remains week-to-week and is looking at a possible comeback by mid-September if the side discomfort doesn’t linger. He was batting .368 with a .987 OPS, eight home runs, 20 doubles, and 47 RBI in 201 at-bats over his prior 50 games before being injured.

Defensively, the Guardians have 20 outfield assists this season, tied for fifth in the majors. The club’s 51 outfield assists since the start of last season is 2nd in MLB behind Cincinnati (56). Cleveland is the only team in MLB with 4 players ranking in the top 20 in outfield assists this season led by Will Brennan’s eight.

It’s rookie right-hander Xzavion Curry (3-1, 3.39) on the mound. He has largely been very good but was charged with five runs on six hits and two walks over five-plus innings last Friday, taking a no-decision in a 9-8 loss to the Rays. He struck out one. Curry retired the side in order each of the first two innings but then labored in the third as the Rays sent eight men to the plate and scored three runs. He bounced back with a scoreless fourth and fifth, but a double ahead of an Isaac Paredes two-run homer in the sixth ended his night.

Since the All-Star Break, the Guardians starting rotation has held opponents to 2-or-fewer earned runs in 25 of its 31 starts and the starters have lasted 5.0-or-more innings in 25 of those with 3 of those 5 outings being Curry’s. He has a 2.25 ERA in four innings this year against the Tigers.

Detroit and Cleveland have played two series so far this season with the Tigers winning two-of-three in each, and the Guardians surely are aware of that.

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Expert Prediction

Guardians 4, Tigers 3

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