The Detroit Tigers host the Cleveland Guardians on May 18, 2026. First pitch from Comerica Park is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. EDT. The game will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1.
The Tigers are favored by -152 on the moneyline and by -1.5 on the run line. The Guardians are +128 on the moneyline and +1.5 on the run line. The total is set at 8 runs.
Find my MLB picks and Guardians vs Tigers prediction below, as well as probable pitchers, weather report, and more.
Guardians vs Tigers Prediction
- Guardians vs Tigers Pick: Wait for Live Entry
My Guardians vs Tigers best bet is to wait for a live entry based on the starting pitching. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live MLB odds page.
Guardians vs Tigers Odds
| Guardians Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -166 | 8 -115o / -105u | +128 |
| Tigers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +138 | 8 -115o / -105u | -152 |
- Guardians vs Tigers moneyline: Guardians +128, Tigers -152
- Guardians vs Tigers over/under: 8 (-115o / -105u)
- Guardians vs Tigers spread: Guardians +1.5 (-166), Tigers -1.5 (+138)
Guardians vs Tigers Probable Pitchers
| RHP Slade Cecconi (CLE) | Stat | LHP Framber Valdez (DET) |
|---|---|---|
| 2-4 | W-L | 2-2 |
| 0.1 | fWAR (FanGraphs) | 0.6 |
| 5.60/5.18 | ERA / xERA | 4.32/4.23 |
| 5.05/4.43 | FIP / xFIP | 4.04/4.03 |
| 10.2% | K-BB% | 11.2% |
| 42.8% | GB% | 52.8% |
| .331 | BABIP | .299 |
| 94 | Stuff+ | 105 |
| 99 | Location+ | 101 |
Guardians vs Tigers MLB Betting Preview
Cleveland Guardians Betting Preview
People continue to have little faith in the Guardians, who once again find themselves sitting atop the AL Central standings. Slade Cecconi will kick off a divisional series against Detroit and will look to build off a solid outing his last time out.
Cecconi has a 5.60 ERA in his first nine starts but pitched four shutout innings in his last start, striking out a season-high seven batters. He is not typically a high-end strikeout guy as his secondary pitches pale in comparison to his fastball and struggle to miss bats.
Cleveland’s offense is pretty much what it always is. They rank around league average in most categories, despite having fewer star names in the lineup than some other teams. They rely on plate discipline, working walks (3rd in the league) and aggressive baserunning (2nd in stolen bases).
Jose Ramirez is consistently a fringe-MVP candidate and now the injection of youth with Chase DeLauter and Travis Bazzana have made this team much more interesting to watch. DeLauter is likely the Rookie of the Year
Detroit Tigers Betting Preview
For years, Framber Valdez was the model of consistency in Houston. Nothing spectacular, but you could write him in for 6-7 innings allowing just two runs in pretty much every start. He was the reliable high floor guy. But that floor is starting to get just a little bit lower. He has a 4.32 ERA and has blown up to allow 7+ runs twice already in his nine starts.
Valdez bounced back nicely from getting shelled and subsequently suspended against the Red Sox, with a solid outing against the Mets last week. He allowed just two runs and worked into the seventh inning, more in line with what we have been used to seeing.
Offensively, Detroit has really struggled this season, especially of late. Only the Angels have scored fewer runs than the Tigers over the last two weeks. They have the lowest team OPS over that stretch and have also hit the fewest home runs with just seven in their last 13 games.
Rookie shortstop Kevin McGonigle came out of the gates on fire but has hit a bit of a wall recently. Power bats Kerry Carpenter and Spencer Torkelson have both struggled for most of the season. Without those two going strong this lineup really lacks pop.
Guardians vs Tigers Pick, Betting Analysis
It’s hard to find an edge in this one, as the line appears right. If we are getting the Valdez we expect, he holds a big pitching advantage over Cecconi. But he has shown he can have more blow up starts than usual this year, which would have this one over in a hurry.
Even if Valdez is pitching well, this Tigers offense has been abysmal over the past few weeks. Two runs might be all the Guardians need if Detroit can’t score.
Cecconi has been great first time through the order, but he runs into issues as teams see him a second time. With a lack of secondary weapons in his arsenal, teams have been able to sit on his fastball as they get more into the game. He also tends to run into trouble with command issues the longer he pitches.
Overall, this is going to be a pass for me but this is probably a good live betting game. Jump on the Guardians if you sense a Valdez blow up coming, or if he looks dialed in, look to jump on Detroit if they face Cecconi for a third time.
Pick: Wait for Live Entry
