The Detroit Tigers (50-52) and Cleveland Guardians (60-40) will battle in Game 3 of their four-game series on Wednesday, July 24 at 6:40 pm ET at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio. The Guardians are favored to win with a moneyline at -155.
The Tigers are 3-2 in their last five games and recently had their momentum stopped with a loss. This was a 5-4 defeat against the Guardians in Game 2, in which they had opportunities to win late but failed to connect.
They will put Jack Flaherty (7-5) on the mound to open, and he should be a good start for the Tigers. He currently averages a 3.13 ERA and 0.96 WHIP. Their team ERA is 3.93, so having Flaherty start will be beneficial.
Riley Greene should be appealing to see here, especially since he leads the team in several important categories. Greene has a .268 batting average, 17 homers, and 51 RBIs.
The Tigers are posting a .234 batting average while allowing their opponents to post .243 in return. This must stop if they are to take control of this series. If they can stay aggressive like they did in Game 1 (8-2 victory), they should be able to post good offensive numbers.
The Guardians finally broke their three-game losing streak with the recent win. They have had poor offense and even worse defense in their last three games, but they should have a much better opportunity.
Their starting pitcher will be Tanner Bibee (8-4), who has an ERA of 3.58 and a WHIP of 1.11. Their team ERA is 3.69, which, on paper at least, puts them at a disadvantage compared to the Tigers.
As for their offensive stats, Steven Kwan leads with a .347 average and leads the league too. Jose Ramirez also takes charge with 24 home runs and 82 RBIs, which adds another offensive threat to the plate.
Speaking of the plate, the Guardians are averaging .242 while also allowing .234 from opponents. This solid separation between the two averages gives them a slight edge.
MyBookie offers the betting odds in this MLB showdown, with the Cleveland Guardians favored to win. According to market analysis, the Guardians have a 65.1 percent chance of winning, which puts them in favorable territory.
Starter pitching will be key here, but both teams will be close in their efforts at the start. The Guardians' roster is more likely to produce another victory than the Tigers are at landing over four runs again. Look for the Guardians to put up a great effort.
