The Cleveland Indians (27-23) play the second game of a three-game set against the Detroit Tigers (21-28) Friday at Comerica Park. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET. Below, we analyze the Indians-Tigers MLB betting odds and lines, with picks and best bets.
Series: Cleveland leads 1-0.
Indians at Tigers: Projected starting pitchers
RHP Zach Plesac vs. RHP Michael Fulmer
Plesac: 3-2 with a 2.20 ERA, 0.78 WHIP, 8.6 K/9 and 0.7 BB/9 in 41 IP over 6 starts.
- Last start: Loss, 8-4, with 7 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 5 K and 1 BB at the Minnesota Twins (Sept. 12).
- Career vs. Tigers: 1-0 with a 0.90 ERA, 10 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 3 K and 2 BB over 2 starts.
Fulmer: 0-2 with a 9.27 ERA, 2.15 WHIP, 7.3 K/9 and 4.4 BB/9 in 22 1/3 IP over 8 starts.
- Last start: Loss, 14-0, with 2 2/3 IP, 9 H, 5 ER, 1 K and 1 BB at the Chicago White Sox (Sept. 12).
- Career vs. Indians: 2-4 with a 7.46 ERA, 1.80 WHIP, 30 K and 14 BB in 41 IP over 10 starts.
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Indians at Tigers: Key injuries
(Get the latest injury news here.)
Indians
- RP Emmanuel Clase (suspension) out
Tigers
- OF JaCoby Jones (hand) out
- 1B C.J. Cron (knee) out
- 2B Jonathan Schoop (wrist) out
Also see: BaseballHQ Fantasy Baseball
Indians at Tigers: Odds, lines, picks and betting tips
MLB odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 12:30 p.m. ET.
Prediction
Indians 8, Tigers 2
Money line (ML)
The Indians (-223) have been in a bit of a free-fall lately, losing eight of their last nine games before bouncing back with a 10-3 win in the first game of this series Thursday.
Cleveland is now six games back of first in the AL Central but has a chance to get right against a Tigers (+195) side they are 5-2 against this season. They went a combined 31-7 against the Tigers in 2018-19.
Predicting a Cleveland win is no hardship but taking Indians (-223) is too rich for my blood. PASS ON THE MONEY LINE.
Run line/Against the spread (ATS)
Fulmer could obviously notch a loss for the Tigers +2.5 (-134) but probably won’t have a chance for a win. He hasn’t pitched more than three innings in a single start and has been relieved by RP Daniel Norris in five of those outings.
Cleveland’s (-2.5, +110) lineup rakes against Fulmer and he has been shelled in his two starts this season versus the Indians with two no-decisions. He has allowed eight earned runs and 10 hits in just 5 2/3 frames.
However, the Indians’ lineup has been as terrible in 2020 as Detroit’s (both bottom-5 in most major hitting categories) and Cleveland is just 10-10 on the run line as a home favorite.
I’ll pass on the regular run line and look to PLAY INDIANS -0.5 (-143) FIRST FIVE INNINGS to cash on Fulmer’s struggles and a cheaper run line price.
New to sports betting? A $71.50 bet on the Indians -0.5 (-143) in the first five innings pays out a $50 profit if Cleveland is leading Detroit after five full innings.
Over/Under (O/U)
I “LEAN” OVER 8.5 (-110) because the Over is 6-2 in all of Fulmer’s starts this season and 4-1 in the last five Indians-Tigers games. It’s only a lean though because Cleveland has the second-highest percentage of Unders in MLB (36%). The Indians lineup scores close to 1.5 more runs per game and Detroit has the second-worst ERA in the majors.
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