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Get ready for the upcoming 2021 season of the Detroit Tigers! Opening Day is just around the corner, as the Tigers kick off their MLB campaign on Thursday afternoon. They will be facing the Cleveland Indians, with the game scheduled to start at 1:10 p.m. ET.
What should Tigers fans, and more significantly, Michigan sports bettors, anticipate from Detroit as the season begins?
Detroit Tigers open as underdog
Detroit, heading into Thursday’s home and series opener, is expected to play the role of underdog against Cleveland.
The Tigers have odds in the range of +160 to +170 for a Thursday victory, while Cleveland is listed in the range of -185 to -205.
The runs are set at 7.5 runs for the over/under.
Cleveland is favored by -1.5 runs against the Tigers on the run line.
If you’re interested in the run line, don’t miss the opportunity to benefit from the promotional offer by PointsBet Sportsbook. PointsBet is presenting the Detroit Tigers’ Opening Day odds at +84 on the run line when playing against Cleveland. Bettors can place a maximum bet of $20 with a betting value of +100.
Pitching staff highlights spring training
However, the Tigers’ spring training efforts have provided some reason for optimism.
Under the guidance of rookie manager A.J. Hinch, the Detroit team achieved a record of 13-12 in the preseason. While their offensive performance, with a total of 119 runs, did not stand out among the league, their defense excelled by allowing only 115 runs, which tied them for the sixth lowest in Major League Baseball.
During the spring season, the Tigers showcased their pitching skills with a team ERA of 4.23 and a team WHIP of 1.34. Noteworthy performances came from starting pitchers Matthew Boyd, Tarik Skubal, and Jose Urena.
Skubal, who was in his second year as a starter, boasted an impressive 1.59 ERA throughout 17.0 innings of play, while also amassing 18 strikeouts.
In 18.1 innings, Boyd achieved an impressive 2.45 ERA and struck out 19 batters. On the other hand, Urena showcased great skill with a 1.93 ERA in 14 innings pitched.
Julio Teheran and Casey Mize will be joining the three of them as part of the five-man rotation.
Having some difficulties this spring, Mize, the MLB Draft’s former top selection, recorded a 7.23 ERA and 1.77 WHIP despite striking out 27 batters in 18.2 innings.
Spencer Torkelson, a fellow top draft pick, encountered notable difficulties at the plate. The first baseman’s batting average stood at a mere .037 after 27 at-bats, resulting in only one single while accumulating 16 strikeouts.
Cleveland trending backward in AL Central
The Cleveland Indians, who had a 35-25 record in the shortened 2020 season, will be the opening opponent for Detroit. Having made a playoff appearance last year, the Tribe unfortunately suffered defeat in two playoff games against the New York Yankees.
Cleveland garnered significant attention in January when they decided to trade their celebrated shortstop Francisco Lindor and starting pitcher Carlos Carrasco to the New York Mets in exchange for promising prospects.
The recent trade has caused Cleveland to slide towards the middle of the pack in their pursuit of the World Series. According to oddsmakers, Cleveland now has a +4000 chance of winning the championship.
The Cleveland Indians, also known as the Tribe, have been listed with odds of +750 to win the AL Central this season. However, they are trailing behind the two favorites, the Chicago White Sox, who have odds ranging from -125 to -110, and the Minnesota Twins, who have odds ranging from +110 to +150.
During the spring training season, Cleveland’s performance was subpar in Major League Baseball with a record of only 10-18. Although they managed to score an impressive total of 140 runs, their opponents outscored them with a total of 154 runs.
Tribe dominating matchup with Tigers
Starting on Thursday, the Tigers and Indians will engage in a three-game series that will continue on Saturday and conclude on Sunday, following the typical sporadic pattern of early-season matchups.
Detroit will be eager to reverse their losing streak against Cleveland, as the Indians have emerged victorious in 45 out of their last 55 matchups with the Tigers leading up to the opener.
The series will feature starting pitching matchups for all games, with each game starting at 1:10 p.m.
- On Thursday, the Cleveland Indians’ Shane Bieber will go up against the Detroit Tigers’ Matthew Boyd.
- On Saturday, the baseball game will feature Zach Plesac from the Cleveland team facing off against Julio Teheran from the Detroit team.
- On Sunday, the Cleveland Indians’ Aaron Civale will face off against the Detroit Tigers’ Tarik Skubal.
Cleveland possesses more power in its bats, while the Tigers potentially hold an advantage on the mound.
In 2020, Jose Ramirez hit a total of 17 home runs and now has his sights set on achieving a 100-RBI season in 2021.
The performance of Detroit’s hitting may still rely on Miguel Cabrera’s health and consistency. In the previous season, the experienced player had a batting average of .250, along with 10 home runs and 35 RBI in 57 games. Despite this, Cabrera maintains his position as the starting first baseman, and there is ongoing speculation during the preseason that he is in excellent physical condition.
Comerica Park will permit the presence of 8,200 fans on Opening Day to enhance the atmosphere for the Tigers.
Regrettably, the unusually warm weather will not persist until Thursday. In Detroit, the anticipated high temperature is 34 degrees, accompanied by winds blowing at a speed of 10-20 mph.
The Tigers will have to secure some victories in this three-game series as they begin their home games against Cleveland and Minnesota before embarking on a 10-game road trip.
Please rewrite the following sentence:<br><br>”The cat is sitting on the mat.”
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