Cleveland Guardians vs. Detroit Tigers Picks and Prediction, Tuesday, September 16, 2025

It’s a big time clash between two top tier teams on Tuesday, Sept. 16. Read our Cleveland Guardians vs Detroit Tigers prediction along with our other MLB Predictions to beat the sportsbooks! The Guardians are 78-71 and they are making a late push for a playoff spot. They have won 14 of their last 19 games. The Guardians have also won nine of their last 10 outings as they sit 2.5 games back of a wild card spot. The Tigers are fluttering, but they remain the division leaders with their 85-65 record. The Tigers have won four of the seven meetings between the two teams this season. Detroit will be starting Case Mize while the Guardians turn the ball over Joey Cantillo. The first pitch between the two teams is set for 6:40 P.M. EST.

 

Guardians on a heater as they push for playoff berth

Cleveland is 78-71 overall this season. They are in second place in the American League Central division as they are 6.5 games back of the Tigers. They are 37-37 when they have played on the road. Cleveland is 2.5 games back of the Astros for the final wild card spot, too. The Guardians have won four straight games. They have also won nine of their last 10 games. Cleveland is the winner of 14 of its last 19 games, too. Detroit leads the season series 4-3. In their last game, the Guardians defeated the White Sox 3-2 on Sunday, Sept. 14, which marked a three-game sweep of Chicago.

Joey Cantillo gets the start for the Guardians on Tuesday. He has a 5-3 record with a 3.36 ERA in 10 starts and 21 relief appearances. His last start saw him throw eight innings versus the Royals on Sept. 9. He allowed zero runs and four hits in a 2-0 win. Cleveland is 6-4 when Cantillo has started this season. The lefty has a 3.02 ERA when pitching on the road. Since the All-Star break, Cantillo has a 2.52 ERA in seven starts. He’s pitched just one inning against the Tigers this season, which came in a relief scenario.

The Guardians are hitting .225 this season which is the worst in the sport. They rank fourth-worst in runs scored, while they also have the fewest hits. Cleveland has hit the 10th fewest home runs this year, too. They are hitting .224 when playing on the road and .229 since the All-Star break. The Guardians are having their best mont,h hitting .247 in September. In seven games, the Guardians are hitting .197 against the Tigers.

Detroit still leading AL Central division

Detroit is 85-65 overall this season. They are in first place in the American League Central Division as they are 6.5 games ahead of the Guardians. Detroit is 2.5 games back of Toronto for the top spot in the American League, too. They have a 46-29 record when playing at home. Detroit has lost three of their last four games. They have also lost seven of their last 12 games. The Tigers are coming off of a series loss to the Marlins on the road. They have a 4-3 record over Cleveland so far this year.

On Tuesday, the Tigers are set to start Casey Mize in this game against the Guardians. The right-handed pitcher is 14-5 with a 3.83 ERA in 25 starts. His last start saw him throw six innings against the Yankees on Sept. 9. He allowed four hits and two runs in a 12-2 win. The Tigers are 20-5 when Mize has pitched this season, which includes a defeat to the Guardians. Mize haș a 3.47 ERA in 12 home games. He has a 5.23 ERA in nine starts since the All-Star game. He’s made two starts versus Cleveland and he’s allowed one run and eight hits in 12 innings pitched.

Detroit is hitting .249 this season, which ranks 14th in the league. They have scored the seventh most runs, and they rank 12th in hits. The Tigers have the most triples and the 10th most home runs. They have struck out the sixth most times, too. They are hitting .261 when playing at home and .243 since the All-Star break. The Tigers are hitting .242 in September. But, they have a .171 batting average in seven games versus the Guardians.

Guardians vs Tigers Pick

Spread Pick for Guardians vs Tigers

• Cleveland Guardians -1.5 (5 units)

The standings show Detroit’s strength, especially at home. They are pushing for the American League title while also securing the division. But they have struggled recently as they were almost swept by the Marlins in their previous series. They have lost seven of their last 12 games, and they have just a 4-3 record versus Cleveland. The Guardians are on a heater as they have won nine of their last 10 games. It’s a sustained winning streak as well. They have won 14 of their last 19 games and they are starting Joey Cantillo, who has looked great recently. He has a 2.52 ERA since the All-Star break. The Tigers are starting Casey Mize and his 3.47 ERA during home games. He also has a 5.23 ERA in the second half of the calendar. Offensive chances will be few and far between, but Cleveland’s bullpen and its momentum will be hard to stop.

Take the Guardians to cover. 

Over/Under Pick for Guardians vs Tigers

• Under 8 runs (5 units) 

The Guardians continue to show that they have no offensive power. They are winning games through small ball and dominating pitching performances. Even if they are to lose this game, which I don’t think they are going to, this game will still be under the total. The Guardians have the worst batting average in the MLB, and they are hitting .197 against Detroit. The Tigers are having a tough time hitting off of Cleveland's pitching this year, too. They have a .171 batting average, while they are also hitting just .243 in the second half of the season. Expect strong pitching performances from both sides in this game.

Take the under on Tuesday.