Detroit Tigers vs Cleveland Indians Game 18 Preview, TV Coverage, Lineup

Detroit Tigers (11-6) vs Cleveland Indians (6-9) – 1:08 PM ET

Comerica Park – Detroit, MI

TV: Fox Sports 1

Radio: 97.1 The Ticket (click for affiliates)

Weather: 48 degrees, cloudy

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When We Last Met

The Detroit Tigers had won 10 out of the last 11 against the Cleveland Indians heading into Friday’s series opener, but the Tribe took out all their frustrations from that stretch out on the struggling Tigers, battering Detroit pitching and styming a listless offense en route to a 13-1 decimation.

Pitching Matchup

Alfredo Simon (3-0, 1.74) puts his perfect record through three starts on the line for the Detroit Tigers when he faces the Cleveland Indians for the second time this season. Simon has been nothing short of marvelous to start the year, allowing just 1 run over his last 15.1 innings pitched. The last time out he held the Tigers in the game so they could come back and score late to claim the only victory of the Yankees’ series on Monday.

He got into a bit of trouble in the middle innings against Cleveland on April 10, but had plenty of run support. He went 5.1 innings, scattering seven hits and three runs in an 8-4 Detroit win.

Trevor Bauer (2-0, 0.95) has been a bright spot in the otherwise dim start for an underachieving Cleveland club. He shut down the Chicago White Sox in seven innings on Monday, allowing no runs, four hits and striking out seven. The bullpen could not hold the lead, however and Cody Allen allowed Chicago to walk-off in that game.

He missed the hot bats of the Tigers during their first meeting and figured to give the now sputtering offense fits. He’s 2-0 in five starts against Detroit (all coming last season) though his ERA is an elevated 4.34.

Tigers Lineup

1. Rajai Davis-CF
2. Ian Kinsler-2B
3. Miguel Cabrera-1B
4. Victor Martinez-DH
5. J.D. Martinez-RF
6. Yoenis Cespedes-LF
7. Alex Avila-C
8. Nick Castellanos-3B
9. Jose Iglesias-SS

Injuries

Tigers

• Bruce Rondon — 15-day DL
• Justin Verlander — 15-day DL
• Joe Nathan – Out for the Season

Indians

• Nick Swisher — 15-day DL
• Zach Walters — 15-day DL
• Gavin Floyd — 60-day DL
• Josh Tomlin — 60-day DL
• Yan Gomes — 60-day DL

Next: Tigers Farm System Drought