Cleveland Guardians Set to Face Detroit Tigers in ALDS Game 1

The Cleveland Guardians and the Detroit Tigers are set to commence their best-of-five American League Division Series (ALDS) on Saturday. The sixth-seeded Detroit Tigers reached this stage following a sweep of the Houston Astros in their Wild Card series. Meanwhile, the second-seeded Cleveland Guardians, winners of the AL Central title, are entering the 2024 Major League Baseball (MLB) playoffs with this game as their debut postseason performance this year.

During the regular season, the Detroit Tigers achieved an 86-76 record, placing third in their division while maintaining a 45-38 performance on the road, including their playoff games. Conversely, the Guardians concluded the season with a 92-69 record, marking their appearance in the playoffs for the sixth time in the past nine seasons. The team holds a strong home record of 50-30. In the postseason, lower-seeded teams have seen notable success, boasting a 6-3 record, with an undefeated 4-0 record on the American League (AL) side.

The first pitch is scheduled for 1:08 p.m. ET at Progressive Field in Cleveland. According to the latest odds from SportsLine consensus, the Guardians are -143 favorites on the money line, while the over/under for the total number of runs expected to be scored is 6.5, slightly adjusted from the opening line. The SportsLine Projection Model, known for its successful track record, including a 32-17 streak on top-rated run-line picks, has analyzed 10,000 simulations of this matchup.

Cleveland is gearing up to send right-hander pitcher to the mound, who has recorded a 12-8 win-loss record with a 3.47 ERA in the current season. With 31 starts, he has allowed 150 hits and 44 walks, alongside 187 strikeouts over 173.2 innings. Notably, he has not conceded more than three earned runs in any game since August 28. In his last outing against Detroit, he allowed four hits, one earned run, and struck out seven batters over seven innings of play.

Fueling Cleveland’s offense is their left fielder, who has performed impressively this season. With a .292 batting average spread over 122 games, he has hit 16 doubles, three triples, 14 home runs, and tallied 44 RBIs with 83 runs scored. His recent performance includes hitting in five of the past six games, capped by a 2-for-4 game with a homer against the Cincinnati Reds.

The Detroit Tigers plan to counter with left-handed pitcher , serving as their opener. With a 7-2 record and a 2.19 ERA, his postseason has already seen action during the Wild Card series. Over 66 games this season and nine starts, he has given up 57 hits, 23 earned runs, and 17 walks, while strikeouts stand at 77 over 94.1 innings. In his encounters against Cleveland this season, he maintains a record of 2-0 with no earned runs over 12.1 innings.

One key player for Detroit is their left fielder, who had a solid season, hitting .262 with 27 doubles, six triples, and 24 home runs over 137 games. His contributions against Cleveland include a double, a home run, and four RBIs spanned across ten regular season games.

SportsLine’s model indicates that the game’s total runs may exceed the set line, projecting a combined total of 8.1 runs, and suggests there is significant value in betting one side of the money line. Fans and bettors are keenly observing who will emerge victorious as the Tigers face off against the Guardians.