Heading into game four of this AL Central matchup, the Guardians (59-65, 32-30 home) will send Logan Allen to the mound against the Tigers (56-67, 30-34 away) and Eduardo Rodriguez. Check out my pick for today’s Detroit Tigers vs. Cleveland Guardians game in Cleveland.

DETROIT TIGERS VS CLEVELAND GUARDIANS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Detroit Tigers -106

This game will be played at Progressive Field at 1:40 ET on Sunday, August 20th.

WHY BET THE DETROIT TIGERS:

  • Over their last five games as the favorite, the Guardians are just 2-3 (straight-up).
  • Detroit has the leg up over the Guardians so far this year at 6-3.
  • In Eduardo Rodriguez’s five most recent starts, the Tigers are 2-1.

DETROIT TIGERS SEEK TO IMPROVE THEIR ROAD RECORD

On a record of 56-67, the Tigers come into today’s game 3rd in the AL Central. When playing at home, they are 26-33 and 30-34 on the road. Detroit has played in 40 series thus far, and have gone 15-20-5.

Eduardo Rodriguez has made 18 appearances so far this season, with an impressive .355 slugging percentage allowed and 1.10 WHIP. His overall record stands at 8-6, with an ERA of 3.13 and 109 strikeouts, averaging 9.23 K’s per nine innings. On the road, he has a 4-4 record and 3.78 ERA; at home, he is 4-2 with a 3.66 ERA.

Eduardo Rodriguez’s latest start resulted in a 6-3 defeat for the Tigers at the hands of the Red Sox. The left-hander surrendered six runs on 10 hits in five innings of work.

This season, the Tigers are 26th in the league at 3.9 runs per game. Over their last five games, they have a combined batting average of .241 (12th) leading to 4 runs per contest. Overall, they are generating 3.0 walks per game compared to 8 strikeouts. Detroit’s on-base percentage of .300 has them 21st in the MLB.

Spencer Torkelson has been a bright spot for the Tigers in their last five games, leading the team with three home runs. His season total now stands at 21 long balls, to go along with a .232 batting average.

WILL THE CLEVELAND GUARDIANS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

For the season, the Guardians have put together a record of 59-65 and are 2nd in the AL Central, putting them five games out of first place. Cleveland’s overall series record sits at 16-18-4. On the road, they have gone 27-35 and 32-30 at home.

The Guardians will turn to starter Logan Allen, who has posted a 6-5 record in 18 appearances this season. His ERA stands at 3.33, with an impressive 8.78 K/9 figure, while his FIP is 3.98 and OBP .318.

Logan Allen earned a quality start and the win in his last outing against the Reds, as the Guardians emerged victorious with a 3-0 score. The lefty pitched six innings of shutout baseball, surrendering only four hits.

During their last ten games, Cleveland is the 13th ranked offense in terms of batting average. In these games, they have hit a combined .248 and are averaging 4 runs per game. Across the entire season, the Guardians are hitting .250 with an OBP of .312 while averaging 4 runs per contest. This figure puts them 25th in the league.

José Ramírez has been a major contributor to the Guardians’ offense in 2023. He currently holds a .283 batting average and has driven in 66 runs, while also hitting 18 home runs.