Tigers vs. Indians Preview: Baddoo-Mania Marches On, Cleveland Seeks Revenge

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Written By Drew Ellis on April 8, 2021
Detroit Tigers Surprising Start Miguel Cabrera 2021

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The Detroit Tigers’ unexpected beginning a week ago caught attention when they triumphed in their initial two games of the Major League Baseball season against the Cleveland Indians.

In order to prevent a complete series sweep, the Tribe managed to win the final game. As they kickstart a series in Cleveland on Friday, they will seek to retaliate against the opposing team.

Will Detroit be able to maintain their winning streak against the Indians? Check out the odds for the upcoming game in the weekend series below.

Pitching rematches highlight Tigers-Indians series

In the season opener at Comerica Park, the Tigers secured a 3-2 triumph over Cleveland. They continued their winning streak with a 5-2 victory in the following game. However, the Indians managed to avoid a sweep by defeating the Tigers 9-3 in the finale.

After that series, Detroit suffered a loss in two out of three games against the Minnesota Twins at home. Meanwhile, Cleveland had a split result in a two-game series with the Kansas City Royals at their home ground.

Let’s take a glance at the expected starting pitchers for the upcoming matchups between the Tigers (3-3) and Indians (2-3):

  • On Friday at 7:10 p.m., Julio Teheran representing the Detroit Tigers with a record of 1-0 will face Zach Plesac of the Cleveland Indians with a record of 0-1.
  • At 6:10 p.m. on Saturday, Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers with a record of 0-0 will be facing Aaron Civale from the Cleveland Indians with a record of 1-0.
  • Sunday at 1:10 p.m., the game will feature a matchup between Jose Urena from Detroit (0-1) and Logan Allen from Cleveland (0-1).

Despite Detroit’s efforts, Cleveland has managed to secure an impressive 46 victories in their previous 58 encounters. The upcoming games, numbered 4, 5, and 6, will contribute to the total of 19 matches scheduled for this season between these two teams.

Oddsmakers not impressed either way

Despite the positive performance displayed by the Detroit Tigers in the first week of play, oddsmakers remain unconcerned.

The current futures odds for Detroit remain unchanged or have possibly lengthened.

According to DraftKings Sportsbook, the Tigers’ odds of winning the AL Central are +6000, while the Indians’ odds have fallen to +850.

FanDuel Sportsbook has a contrasting view on this matter, as they have Detroit at +4000, while the Tribe is listed at +750.

The Chicago White Sox (-110) are still considered the slight favorite, while the Minnesota Twins (+125) are seen as a strong contender. The Kansas City Royals, on the other hand, sit in the middle at +2000.

Tigers lose series, but find a spark

After an impressive 2-0 start, the Detroit Tigers’ momentum has been disrupted as they have suffered defeats in three out of four games.

The Tigers’ lack of starting pitching depth became evident in their defeats against Cleveland (9-3) and Minnesota (15-6). Nevertheless, they managed to recover with a hard-fought 4-3 victory over the Twins in 10 innings. Unfortunately, their home game on Wednesday resulted in a close 3-2 loss to Minnesota.

Outfielder Akil Baddoo has been a bright spot amidst the recent series of games. This winter, the Tigers acquired the rookie through the Rule 5 Draft.

Baddoo wasted no time making an impact in his MLB debut, smashing a home run to left field on the very first pitch he saw on Sunday. Impressively, he has managed to get at least one hit in each of the four games he has played so far in his career. Baddoo’s incredible performance includes two home runs, seven RBI, and an impressive batting average of .455. Such noteworthy accomplishments have even caught the attention of AL Rookie of the Year odds markets, as reported by Playinmichigan.

Despite the heartwarming story of Baddoo, the Tigers still have concerns regarding their pitching and veteran first baseman Miguel Cabrera.

In his start, Urena allowed a staggering total of five earned runs in only three innings. The relief pitchers, including Buck Farmer, Derek Holland, Daniel Norris, and Tyler Alexander, have all struggled with ERAs exceeding 10.00 at this point.

As for Cabrera, he hit a home run during the season opener but has only managed to get two hits afterward. Currently, Cabrera’s batting average stands at .176 with a slugging percentage of .412 as we approach the weekend.

Cleveland seeking some momentum

After securing a series finale victory against the Tigers last Sunday, the Indians went on to divide two games with Kansas City while playing at home.

Cleveland faced a disheartening 3-0 loss in the opener, managing only three hits against Danny Duffy, the starting pitcher for KC, and the Royals’ relievers.

On Wednesday, Cleveland made a comeback with a 4-2 victory, courtesy of a 2-run homer by Jose Ramirez in the bottom of the eighth inning. This home run broke the 2-all tie.

Despite his outstanding performance on the mound, Shane Bieber did not receive a decision. Demonstrating his magical skills, he managed to strike out 12 batters in 6.1 innings of work.

Cleveland’s offense is currently a cause for concern. Apart from the impressive nine-run performance in their last game against Detroit, they have only managed to score a total of eight runs in the other four games. As a result, the Tribe currently holds the 25th position in scoring among all MLB teams.

Compared to Detroit’s 26th-ranked team ERA of 5.40, Cleveland holds a significant advantage on the mound, ranking ninth in the league with a team ERA of 3.35.

With both teams still searching for their offensive prowess, Cleveland can take solace in the fact that they have the upper hand in pitching against the Tigers this weekend on their home turf.

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