Detroit Tigers vs. Cleveland Guardians: Picks, Predictions, Odds and Player Props

The American League’s best team, the Detroit Tigers, travels to Cleveland to take on the struggling Guardians in the start of a three-game series on Friday at 7:10 PM ET.

The Tigers are 54-34 overall and 24-20 on the road, the second-best away record in the American League. However, they have lost two straight and are just 8-8 in their last 16 games. They have lost three of their last four road series. 

The team lost two out of three at the Washington Nationals, including an 11-7 setback on Thursday. Spencer Torkelson homered and drove in three runs, while Gleyber Torres and Parker Meadows each had two hits and an RBI.

Detroit leads the American League in runs scored (446) and is second in team WHIP (1.18) and third in ERA (3.44). Torres (.284/.386/.437, 2.3 WAR), Riley Greene (.292, 21 HR, 69 RBIs), and Javier Baez (.783 OPS, 1.8 WAR) were all recently named starters for the 2025 MLB All-Star Game. 

The Tigers face a Guardians side that took three out of four from them in a series in Detroit in May but is struggling immensely right now. Cleveland has the majors’ longest losing streak at seven games, falling below .500 at 40-45, 12.5 games back of the Tigers in the AL Central. 

The team has been outscored 38-12 during this losing streak and has been shut out four times in the process. The Guardians were swept in three games by the St. Louis Cardinals at home and just lost three straight at the NL Central-leading Chicago Cubs. The team managed just six runs in the three-game series and was shut out on Thursday, 1-0. 

Reese Olson (4-3, 2.96) is expected to make his first appearance since May 17 for the Tigers after suffering a finger injury. In his last outing before going on the injured list, Olson allowed one hit and struck out six in six innings, earning a no-decision in a 2-1 loss at the Toronto Blue Jays.

Olson is expected to face Slade Cecconi (3-3, 3.64), who has won two of his previous three starts. He had a no-decision in his last outing, allowing three runs on five hits in 4.2 innings of work in a 9-6 defeat to the Cardinals. 

Detroit Tigers vs. Cleveland Guardians betting picks and predictions

Cleveland Guardians +1.5 (-180) 

The losing streak has to end at some time, right? It’s been more than five weeks since the Guardians’ impressive showing in Detroit, but third baseman Jose Ramirez, who was just named to his seventh All-Star game, the fourth as a starter, had six hits in that series, and he desperately needs to regain that form.

Ramirez is batting .297 with 13 home runs, 21 steals and 38 RBIs and leads all third basemen with a 3.2 WAR, but he has been the best example of the team’s recent struggles. Ramirez is in an 0-for-21 slump, which has encompassed the losing streak.

In fact, his last hit was a game-winning walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the 10th inning of a 5-4 victory over the Blue Jays. That was nine days ago. He’s due.

The logic here is also that Olson may not last long in his first major league start in 48 days. The Tigers have not been dominating over the past few weeks, and this is a great time for Cleveland to get back into the AL Central race.

As a result, it makes sense to back the hosts to at least keep it close.

Over 8.0 total runs (-110) 

Cleveland has struggled to reach this number, but Detroit hasn’t. The Tigers have totaled eight or more runs with their opponents in 15 of their past 18 games, including all three games of their just completed series with the Nationals. 

Look for the Tigers to score, and give up, enough runs to surpass this eight-run total.

Jose Ramirez Over 1.5 total bases (+105)

The odds favor Ramirez to stay cold, as he is listed at -180 for Under 1.5 total bases. He’s hitless in six straight games and has gone without an extra-base hit in 10. There’s no better time to break out than under the lights on the Fourth of July. 

Read more betting picks and predictions for the MLB on site.

Detroit Tigers vs. Cleveland Guardians odds

Detroit Tigers	-115
Cleveland Guardians	-105
Run Line	Tigers -1.5
Total	O/U 8.0

Detroit Tigers vs. Cleveland Guardians player props

Player Home Run Odds

Riley Greene (Detroit Tigers)	+350
Spencer Torkelson (Detroit Tigers)	+425
Colt Keith (Detroit Tigers)	+525
Jose Ramirez (Cleveland Guardians)	+400
Kyle Manzardo (Cleveland Guardians)	+450
Bo Naylor (Cleveland Guardians)	+500

Read the latest MLB news on site.

This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.