Cleveland is coming off a 2-1 series win against the Houston Astros in Cleveland where they scored only a combined seven runs, but allowed just three. Ace Corey Kluber took that hard luck loss giving up two runs on three hits. The Indians hits just .246 in the series with four homers and a team OPS of .645 against a team who isn’t known for their pitching. We’ll just say their bats haven’t traveled north yet from spring training, but their pitchers arms sure did.
Everyone in the D is pretty well aware of the hot start the Tigers have gotten off to in sweeping the Minnesota Twins and coming a Yoenis Cespedes boot away from shutting the Twins our for a record third straight game to open the season. The Tigers had the Major’s best run differential in all opening series, which was seven better then both KC and Colorado. The bats took advantage of Twins miscues scoring 22 runs, hitting a combined .343 as a team and collecting 13 extra base hits and a team OPS of .979! Now the true test will start taking on a team who many pick as the team to unseat Detroit in the Central.
My key player of the series: Alfredo Simon
Pitching Match-ups @ Progressive Field
4/10, 4:10p (est) – Alfredo Simon (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Zach McAllister (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
4/11, 4:05p – David Price (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. T.J. House (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
4/12, 1:08p – Kyle Lobstein (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. Corey Kluber (0-1, 2.45 ERA)
Who to Watch (Cleveland)
- Jason Kipnis, 2B – Kipnis came out hot with a .333 average with a triple and RBI and .808 OPS
- Corey Kluber, SP – Even with the loss, Kluber threw 7.1 innings of 3-hit baseball, walking two, and striking out seven
Who to Watch (Detroit)
- David Price, SP – Price had a great opening day, throwing 8 2/3 innings on Monday, giving up five hits and striking out five
- Anthony Gose, OF – Gose played in two games against Minnesota with six hits in 11 at bats (.545 avg) which included two doubles, a triple, three runs driven in, and a stolen base
- J.D. Martinez, OF – Other Tigers had more hits against the Twins, however J.D.’s two homers lead the team and tied him with Yoenis Cespedes with four RBI
Who Not to Watch (Cleveland)
- Brandon Moss, OF – Moss didn’t get a hit in 10 at bats and struck out 5 times in those at bats
- Yan Gomes, C – Gomes hit just .167 in the series against Houston, striking out 3 times
Who Not to Watch (Detroit)
- Nick Castellanos, 3B – Nick C is off to a slow start with just a hit in 10 at bats, however he did collect two walks
- Victor & Miggy – Both collected 2 hits each, but also collected 3 walks as well. Let’s chalk it up to late spring starts
Series Prediction: Tigers win 2-1
Next Series: 3 @ Pittsburgh Pirates
