Every MLB team will be in action on Friday, including an American League Central matchup between the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Guardians. In fact, this game will be the second of a doubleheader between these clubs from Progressive Field and is scheduled for a 7:15 PM ET on Apple TV. 

My article will preview this game by including a brief overview of the current betting odds, a deeper look at both teams and my best bet for the game.

MLB Betting Odds and Trends

The Cleveland Guardians are the favourites to win this game with a -136 price on the MLB odds board. Meanwhile, the Tigers are small underdogs and have money-line odds of +116.

In terms of the run line, the Guardians are -1.5 (+158), with the Tigers coming back with a -192 price on the other side. Additionally, the total for this game has been set at 8.5 runs. You can bet over at odds of -105, while the under is juiced to -115.

If you’re into trends, Cleveland is 7-2 SU against Detroit and the under is 6-3 in the nine meetings this season.

Detroit Tigers

Detroit enters this game well under .500 on the season. They are currently in fourth in the American League Central Division, but their chances to actually win the division are hanging on by a thread. Further, the Tigers’ chances in the AL Wild Card are also dwindling by the day, making this game even more important for them.

Set to start this game for the Tigers will be Andrew Sears, who has a record of 0-1 and an ERA of 6.75. Note that Sears has only appeared in two games this season, so he has little experience. That said, in his only away appearance, he allowed five earned runs over 4.0 innings, giving him an ERA of 11.25.

Cleveland Guardians

Cleveland enters this game hovering around .500 on the season and is currently in second in the AL Central. The Guardians are still in the hunt when it comes to catching the first-place Chicago White Sox, but they will likely need to be more consistent in the final month of the season. 

While the Guardians are still chasing a chance to win the division, they do currently hold the third and final spot in the AL Wild-Card. 

Starting this game for the Guardians will be Foster Griffin, who has a record of 15-4, and an ERA of 3.21. Griffin has been more than serviceable when pitching at home this season, posting an ERA of 3.28 over 13 starts. In these starts, he has allowed 30 runs (27 earned) over 74.0 innings.

Who Will Win Tigers vs. Guardians?

The Guardians are the slight favourites in this game, and they look to be the best betting option. As mentioned previously, Cleveland has simply had Detroit’s number this season, winning seven of the nine meetings. 

Additionally, the Guardians have the clear edge on the mound with Griffin. To that point, Griffin has made one start against the Tigers this season, where he allowed just one earned run over 5.0 innings. 

Given this, and the dominance the Guardians have had against the Tigers this season, backing the Cleveland Guardians to win will be our best bet (-136), and we like the Guardians to win by a score of 5-2.  

TIGERS

Away

2

GUARDIANS

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