Tigers vs. Guardians Game 2 predictions: ALDS odds, picks, best bets Monday
Given the state of the Detroit Tigers’ starting rotation, it appeared as if they would need Tarik Skubal to win both of his starts to have a chance in the ALDS against Cleveland.Heading into Monday’s Game 2, that rings particularly true after the Guardians’ dominant 7-0 victory in Game 1 on Saturday.Skubal was sensational in his playoff debut versus the Astros in the wild-card round and did more than simply live up to the hype of his spectacular regular season.The AL Triple Crown winner allowed zero earned runs and four hits across six innings in a tough environment versus a proven playoff lineup. Prior to that start, he put a bow on his case for the Cy Young with a 1.42 ERA and 2.06 FIP in his final five starts.
In that span, he held a K-BB% of 28.2.Results for most pitchers tail off considerably working through the order for a third time, which often leads to hotly contested decisions regarding how long to keep a starter in during the postseason.However, Skubal’s have been excellent the third time through the order, which could be relevant considering how Tigers manager A.J.Hinch would love to keep his ace on the mound deep into Monday’s Game 2.Working through the order for a third time, Skubal has still struck out 31% of batters, while allowing a batting average of just .215. That’s almost unheard of at the MLB level.Matthew Boyd, will oppose Skubal on Monday, is a quality starter in his own right, which the Tigers are aware of given the veteran lefty spent parts of eight seasons in Detroit.
He’s in the best stretch of his career and seems to have found something in Cleveland after a career full of mediocrity.In mid-August, Boyd made his first start in over a year after undergoing Tommy John surgery.In 39 2/3 innings over eight starts, he’s 2-2 with an ERA of 2.72.He enters Game 2 with an xFIP of 3.89, an xERA of 3.10 and an xBA of .236.
Pitching models are low on his arsenal (Stuff+ 75, Pitching+ of 95). The Guardians’ second-half wRC+ of...