- Matchup: Cleveland Guardians vs Detroit Tigers
- Date: Thursday, May 21, 2026
- Venue: Comerica Park, Detroit, MI
- Broadcast: Detroit SportsNet
- Betting Odds: Cleveland (+102) Detroit (-122)
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On Thursday night, Comerica Park will host an exciting clash as the Detroit Tigers (20-29) take on the Cleveland Guardians (28-22). Currently, the Guardians are favored at +102, while the Tigers sit at -122. The over/under total for this matchup is 8.5, featuring pitchers Joey Cantillo and Casey Mize on the mound.
The Cleveland Guardians boast an average of 4.4 runs per game, ranking them 14th overall in Major League Baseball. With 222 runs scored to date, they hold an on-base percentage of .327. The team has registered 78 doubles and hit 52 home runs, accumulating 212 RBIs and 377 hits, while posting a batting average of .231. Their slugging percentage is .379, with 370 strikeouts and 220 walks this season.
On the pitching side, the Guardians have a collective ERA of 3.78, landing them 9th in MLB, and they have struck out 462 batters so far. Cleveland’s pitchers have allowed 58 home runs, resulting in 202 total runs (10th in the league). They’ve issued 172 walks this season and their FIP stands at 4.01. Averaging 8.0 hits allowed per 9 innings, they have given up 186 earned runs, holding a K/BB ratio of 2.69 and a WHIP of 1.27.
Throughout the year, the Guardians have used 163 relievers, with their bullpen inheriting 75 runners and allowing 25.3% of them to score. The relief staff has recorded 41 holds (2nd in MLB), 17 saves, and has a 81.0% save rate, having faced runners in scoring positions 46 times in high-leverage scenarios.
This season, the Guardians have tallied 1,327 putouts, 385 assists, and 19 errors, achieving a fielding percentage of .989, ranking them 7th in MLB. They’ve successfully turned 38 double plays and converted 70.1% of balls hit into play into outs in 3,981 innings, placing them 16th in the league.
Joey Cantillo has a career record of 10-8, with a FIP of 3.56, facing 774 batters in his MLB tenure. He has allowed 157 hits (averaging 7.7 hits per 9 innings) and issued 81 walks. His ERA is 3.62 (74 earned runs), with a WHIP of 1.293, having pitched 184 innings and recorded 197 strikeouts in his career.
Meanwhile, the Detroit Tigers have hit 43 home runs and driven in 182 runs this season. They’ve recorded 85 doubles, walked 186 times, and scored a total of 193 runs. The team has an OBP of .321, with a batting average of .238, and a slugging percentage of .378 while averaging 3.94 runs per game, ranking 26th in the league. The Tigers have struck out 419 times (10th in MLB) and compiled 386 hits.
Detroit’s pitching staff has allowed 213 runs so far, maintaining a team ERA of 4.03 (191 earned runs). They have surrendered 43 home runs, averaging 4.50 runs per 9 innings (15th in MLB). The Tigers’ WHIP is 1.295, with a FIP of 3.89 overall. Their strikeout to walk ratio is 8.30 (392 strikeouts vs. 169 walks), and they rank 14th for total hits allowed with 383.
This season, the Tigers have a total of 37 save opportunities, achieving 17 holds with 10 blown saves. Their relief pitchers have been called into 19 of those chances, successfully securing 9 saves. With a 35.1% inherited score percentage out of 94 inherited runners, the bullpen has made 41 high-leverage appearances and has come in with runners on base 59 times. They rank 27th in MLB with a 47.4% save percentage, having dispatched 152 relief pitchers this season.
In 3,837 innings of play, the Tigers have a defensive efficiency of 70.0% (17th in MLB). Their record includes 43 double plays and a fielding percentage of .984 (23rd in professional baseball), alongside 422 assists and 27 errors.
In his career, Casey Mize has yielded 474 hits, achieving 404 strikeouts over 477 innings pitched. Mize has a win-loss record of 25-27, with a 4.06 earned run average and permitting 8.9 hits per 9 innings. He has allowed a total of 215 earned runs with a WHIP of 1.270 and a FIP of 4.0. His strikeout to walk ratio is 3.06, and he has faced 2,016 batters in his MLB career.
Who will emerge victorious in tonight’s MLB showdown, covering the spread or clinching the moneyline?
Selection: Choose Cleveland (+102)
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