Indians vs. Tigers Series Preview

This weekend's series features two rival teams in opposite spots. The Detroit Tigers roll into Cleveland with a 6-3 record, tied for first place in the American League Central with the Minnesota Twins. The Cleveland Indians meanwhile, are 4-5 on the young season, and have lost five of their last six games. In order to win this weekend, and begin to turn things around, the Tribe has to do three things: build at the plate, get reliable pitching from their starters, and grab the lead first.

Pitching Probables
Friday 7:10 p.m. - Trevor Bauer v.s. Daniel Norris

Saturday 4:10 p.m. - Corey Kluber v.s. Justin Verlander

Sunday 1:10 p.m. - Carlos Carrasco v.s. Matt Boyd

Sunday 1:10 p.m.
Tribe Keys to Victory vs. Detroit

1. Get the Offense Rolling
This team's early struggles at the plate have been well-documented. But despite that, the Indians did manage to manufacture four runs on a dozen hits in their last game against the Chicago White Sox. If Tribe hitters let the game come to them, instead of trying to force big hits, things might change against the Tigers this weekend. The most important thing I think the Tribe needs to do, is build on their outing at the plate from the last game, in which they went 12-for-37, good for a solid .321 average.

2. Consistent Starting Pitching
The Indians have also struggled to get consistently good starts on the mound. On one end of the spectrum, the pitching has been lit up at times (Tomlin giving up seven runs in less than two innings). On the other side of things, starters can settle in and give the lineup a chance to get to work (Carrasco going seven innings). There has been some inconsistency up to this point. The Indians send Trevor Bauer to the hill to try to fix that on Friday night.

3. Grab the Lead First
The lineup's offensive production, and starting pitching have both been up and down thus far through the first nine games of the season. But grabbing an early lead this weekend against the Tigers could go a long way toward solving those problems. If the Tribe grabs the early lead, it could give the lineup more confidence when going after Detroit pitchers. Similarly, an early lead could let Cleveland starters relax just a little, settle in, and pound the strike zone. I've noticed that when pitchers are in a tied or scoreless game, they are more likely to "nibble" or avoid going right at the hitters with their best stuff, since they fear making a mistake pitch that could lead to a big hit or home run. An early lead allows pitchers to be themselves, and be more aggressive, since their offense backs them up.

Player to Watch: Michael Brantley
Doctor Smooth is back. Brantley hit his first bomb of the season last night and is beginning to look very comfortable at the dish again. Keep an eye on the left fielder against Detroit.

Play Ball!
The Indians turned the tables on the Tigers last year, winning 14 of 18 games against the Motor City Kitties in 2016. This was a welcome change from previous years, when Detroit owned Cleveland and reigned over the AL Central. The Tribe looks to pick up where they left off last season. Righty Trevor Bauer toes the rubber for Cleveland, while lefty Daniel Norris makes the start for Detroit.

First Pitch is at 7:10 p.m. on SportsTime Ohio.