The American League Central-leading Cleveland Guardians head to the Motor City for an important four-game series with the fourth-place Detroit Tigers.
Both clubs are playing decent baseball, and we’ll take a closer look at Detroit starter Keider Montero with my Guardians vs. Tigers predictions.
Detroit's bats will also factor into my MLB picks on Monday, July 8.
Guardians vs Tigers prediction
My best bet
Tigers F5 moneyline (+114 at FanDuel)
My analysis
The Detroit Tigers have won four consecutive ballgames yet are underdogs when they host the Cleveland Guardians.
Tigers rookie Keider Montero takes the hill for the fourth time this season. The 24-year-old righty is coming off a tremendous start where he scattered six hits and two earned runs across 6 1/3 frames at Minnesota in a 9-2 victory over the Twins.
That start should have boosted the young fella’s confidence after surrendering nine earned runs across his first two outings. He’ll need that confidence because he’s up against a powerful Guardians lineup riding a two-game winning streak with the AL’s third-best run differential.
The Guardians offense is why they are heavy favorites because probable starter Gavin Williams is coming off a rough outing at home against the White Sox.
Williams throws mostly four-seamers and has been a solid strikeout guy throughout his professional career (8.69 K/9), but his season got off to an inauspicious start as he struck out just two and walked two in four innings in his season debut against Chicago.
Montero has good enough stuff to slow down a Cleveland offense averaging three runs across its first five stanzas but has failed to do so in two of its last three. That will leave it up to the Tigers' sticks. They’ve scored 27 runs across their last five and are facing a starting pitcher with command issues and potential rust making just his second start of the season after a lengthy injury-related absence.
Look for the Tigers bats to deliver early and a confident Montero pitch well enough at home to win the first five frames.
Guardians vs Tigers same-game parlay (SGP)
Tigers F5 moneyline
Over 8.5
I like the Tigers to score enough early runs to win the first five frames, but I don’t expect a pitcher like Montero (xERA of 5.55) to keep a strong Cleveland offense off the board.
Cleveland has scored 22 runs across its last five while Detroit has plated 27 runs in the same period. We have starting pitchers with a combined xERA of over 11 runs and the respective bullpens have each allowed nine runs across the past seven days.
Learn how to bet a same-game parlay with these helpful tips and strategies.
Guardians vs Tigers odds
Guardians vs Tigers live odds
Guardians vs Tigers opening odds
- Run line: Cleveland -1.5 (+115) | Detroit +1.5 (-135)
- Moneyline: Cleveland -150 | Detroit +125
- Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-115) | Under 8.5 (-105)
Guardians vs Tigers spread and Over/Under analysis
- The Guardians are heavy favorites but are playing .500 ball in their past 10 and are 4-6-0 across their last 10 away games.
- Detroit is riding a three-game winning streak but also playing .500 ball across its past 10.
- The Over is the recent soundtrack for each club across their respective last 10 games. Cleveland is 7-3-0 to the Over while Detroit is 5-4-1.
Guardians vs Tigers trend
The Detroit Tigers have hit the 1st Five Innings (F5) Moneyline in 16 of their last 28 games at home (+6.75 Units / 17% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Guardians vs. Tigers
Guardians vs Tigers game info
| Location: | Comerica Park, Detroit, MI |
| Date: | Monday, 7-8-2024 |
| First pitch: | 6:40 p.m. ET |
| TV: | Fox Sports 1 |
| Guardians starting pitcher: | Gavin Williams (0-1, 11.25 ERA) |
| Tigers starting pitcher: | Keider Montero (1-2, 6.60 ERA) |
Guardians vs Tigers latest injuries
Guardians vs Tigers weather
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