Tigers vs Indians Preview

As quickly as the we all thought the Cleavland Indians were the real deal, they now found themselves slipping down the rankings.  The Indians are 4.5 games behind the Detroit Tigers and have a winning percentage below .500.  That is still good enough for second place in the AL Central, however, both the Kansas City Royals and Minnesota Twins are right on the Indians heels.

That is why a win today is so important for the Indians.  It will move them closer to catching up with the Detroit Tigers and what better way to start clawing your way back than a win against the the No.1 teams in the league.

A win today will also shatter a six game losing streak for the Indians.  The Indians are trying to return to being the same teams that won 18 of 22 contests earlier in the season.

The Tigers are simply looking to put some more distance between themselves and the other teams in the division.  With a win today they will also sweep who they likely perceive as the biggest threat to their division spot.

Through a series of injuries and a suspension, the Indians will now have to opportunity to start their pitching ace, Justin Masterson, as they attempt to avoid the sweep.  Masterson was originally slated to play against the Tigers on Saturday but got bumped to today after Zach McAllister landed on the disabled and Carlos Carrasco took Masterson’s spot on Saturday so he could start his eight game suspension today.

Jose Alvarez will be starting for the Tigers.  Alvarez is a bit of a wildcard as he is making his MLB debut and no one is quiet sure how he will perform.

The Tigers are the favorites to win this game according to Bovada.  The game starts at 1:10 p.m. ET.