Things came to a screeching halt for the Detroit Tigers this past weekend as the New York Yankees defended their home turf with a three-game sweep to end the visitors’ four-series winning streak. AJ Hinch’s squad had a chance to prevail in all of them but Bronx Bombers simply had more to offer on offense.
The Motor City Kitties now head to Ohio for a three-game weekday series against the American League Central-leading Cleveland Guardians, who are off to a hot start to the 2024 campaign. Detroit’s intra-division rivals are coming off a weekend win over the Los Angeles Angels in which they took two of three at home from the visitors, pushing them out to a 2.5-game lead in the standings.
Take a look below at what is lined up for the Tigers and Guardians at Progressive Field starting on Monday night.
Detroit Tigers (18-16) at Cleveland Guardians (22-12)
Times (ET): Monday: 6:10 p.m.; Tuesday: 6:15 p.m.; Wednesday: 1:10 p.m.
Place: Progressive Field, Cleveland, Ohio
SB Nation Site: Covering the Corner
Media: Bally Sports Detroit, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 35 Pitching Matchup
| Player | IP | K% | BB% | FIP | fWAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | IP | K% | BB% | FIP | fWAR |
| Flaherty | 36.0 | 34.0 | 3.4 | 2.85 | 0.9 |
| McKenzie | 29.0 | 18.8 | 14.1 | 5.16 | 0.0 |
Game 35: RHP Jack Flaherty (0-1, 4.00 ERA) vs. RHP Triston McKenzie (2-2, 4.34 ERA)
Flaherty is coming off an outstanding outing in his last start against his former team, the St. Louis Cardinals. The 28-year-old struck out the first seven batters of the game en route to a scoreless 14-strikeout effort over 6 2⁄3 innings in which he allowed two runs and one walk; unfortunately, he was handed a no-decision as the Tigers blew the game in the ninth. The righty is currently tied for sixth in the majors with 50 Ks.
McKenzie, now in his fifth big league season, has struggled a bit in his return from an injury-shortened 2023 campaign that saw him throw just 16 innings. However, the 26-year-old seems to be rounding into form over his last three starts, putting up a 2.81 ERA and 3.53 FIP stretching across 16 innings in which he walked six, struck out 19 and surrendered a pair of home runs; opposing batters are slashing .237 BA/.303 OBP/.390 SLG.
Game 36 Pitching Matchup
| Player | IP | K% | BB% | FIP | fWAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | IP | K% | BB% | FIP | fWAR |
| Maeda | 28.2 | 18.3 | 5.8 | 6.09 | -0.2 |
| Allen | 37.0 | 19.4 | 7.5 | 5.00 | 0.0 |
Game 36: RHP Kenta Maeda (1-1, 5.02 ERA) vs. LHP Logan Allen (3-2, 5.11 ERA)
Despite seeing some significant improvement in the last two games, Maeda’s numbers still look awful — but they are showing positive regression after a disastrous start. The Tigers have won both of the 36-year-old’s outings, in which he has combined for an 0.82 ERA and 2.52 FIP over 11 innings pitched, surrendering seven hits, including a home run, but not one single walk. His quality start against St. Louis last week was also his second in six tries this season.
Allen is now in his second MLB campaign after a solid showing during his rookie season in 2023. However, the 25-year-old has stumbled out of the gates for the Guardians this spring, recording just one quality start in seven tries and otherwise hemorrhaging runs when he pitches. Since that QS, the left-hander has put up a 5.48 ERA and 5.78 FIP, allowing 23 hits (seven home runs) and eight walks while striking out 18 over 21 1⁄3 frames.
Game 37 Pitching Matchup
| Player | IP | K% | BB% | FIP | fWAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | IP | K% | BB% | FIP | fWAR |
| Olson | 33.1 | 22.0 | 9.2 | 2.74 | 0.9 |
| Bibee | 36.1 | 25.0 | 8.3 | 4.31 | 0.3 |
Game 37: RHP Reese Olson (0-4, 2.70 ERA) vs. Tanner Bibee (2-1, 4.46 ERA)
Olson continues to be Exhibit A for why pitching wins and losses are a useless statistic, taking four Ls in six tries despite all but one being solid efforts — in fact, the Tigers have lost five of the six games in which he has appeared. While his walk rate is a little on the high side, the 24-year-old has yet to surrender a dinger this season and his FIP suggests that his ERA is not a fluke. The righty just needs to keep doing what he is doing and the wins will eventually come.
Bibee is coming off a debut campaign that saw him finish second in the Rookie of the Year award race following a sparkling first season in the bigs. The 25-year-old has yet to rediscover the mojo he found last summer, thanks in part to a home runs per nine rate that has nearly doubled from 0.8 to 1.5 as well as a WHIP that ballooned from 1.17 to 1.38. That said, his overall numbers are weighed down by three bad outings out of seven total so it has been a bit of feast-or-famine for the righty.
Series Outlook: Division wins are key
The team formerly known as the Tribe has been rolling along in the early goings of the 2024 campaign, but overall it has not been overwhelmingly impressive statistically. The team OPS (.709) ranks No. 13 in the majors as does its on-base percentage (.317) while Cleveland is in the dead middle tied at No. 15 in home runs (35). On the pitching side, despite the stats this week’s starters present, the Guardians are ninth in ERA (3.41) and No. 11 in WHIP (1.21) but No. 20 in batting average against (.232). There are some chinks in the armor that Detroit might be able to exploit if the pitching holds up and the bats get going.