You've got a spicy one on your hands, ladies and gentlemen. We have the Cleveland Guardians rolling into Detroit to take on the Tigers at the Comerica Park. That lovely pitchers' park, just a slight breeze towards the pitchers which should make the game all the more interesting.
On the mound for Cleveland, we've got Spencer Howard. I've seen paper towels put up more fight against a spill than Howard's been putting up against batters this season. A 6.16 ERA and a 2.01 WHIP? Ouch.
For Detroit, Jack Flaherty is the man of the hour. Now, there's a pitcher who isn't afraid of a little challenge. With a 3.34 ERA, he's a veritable wall, letting out only a puff of smoke for every dozen batters he faces.
Now, let's talk about the Guardians' big guns: Steven Kwan and Josh Naylor. These guys have been popping balls over the fence like it's a Sunday picnic. Jose Ramirez, too, despite his somewhat lukewarm .275 batting average, had stolen more bases than a character from a Dickens novel.
In the Tigers' corner, we've got Andy Ibanez and Colt Keith. Keith has been playing like a man possessed, while Ibanez is currently batting like he's playing with a tennis racket.
But, let's not go forgetting our history. Their past matchups have been tighter than a vegan's belt on Thanksgiving. Save for a single guardians win, Detroit’s certainly had the edge in this little rivalry – it’s a regular Spielberg plot with more twists and turns than a Hollywood blockbuster.
From the looks of the recent results, Guardians might have a better overall record, but the Tigers have the momentum. With that said, dear old Albert’s laying his money on the hometown advantage. Don’t let the regular-season record fool you, in this fickle world of baseball, it's the recent form that counts. Tigers, with a muscular clutch of wins under their belts, should come out roaring.
Albert’s Prediction: Detroit Tigers by 2