Detroit Tigers vs Cleveland Guardians Picks and Prediction for Sunday, September 6, 2026

The Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Guardians meet Sunday at Progressive Field, with the opening pitch scheduled for 1:40 PM ET and the game televised on MLB.TV. Detroit is 64-77, fourth in the AL Central and 10 games behind the first-place Chicago White Sox. Cleveland is 72-70, second in the division and 2.5 games behind Chicago. The Guardians are positioned in the AL Wild Card race. Detroit has lost four of its last five games, while Cleveland has won three of its last five. Check out our free MLB picks.

Detroit Tigers – Four Losses in Last Five Games

Detroit has struggled over its latest stretch, losing four of five after dropping the first two games of this series 7-6 and 4-3 in 10 innings. The Tigers also lost 15-2 and 11-1 against Minnesota, with an 11-6 victory in 12 innings serving as their only win during that five-game span. Detroit is batting .238 with a .314 on-base percentage and .396 slugging percentage while scoring 619 runs and hitting 158 home runs.

Kevin McGonigle has been Detroit's most consistent hitter, batting .272 with a .372 on-base percentage, 144 hits and 87 runs. Dillon Dingler has provided the most power with 26 home runs and 82 RBI, while Spencer Torkelson has 22 homers and Riley Greene has 16. Detroit's pitching staff ranks sixth in MLB with a 3.70 ERA and has a 1.23 WHIP with a .233 opponent batting average. The Tigers are 30-42 away from home.

Injuries: Hao-Yu Lee is day-to-day. Brant Hurter, Wenceel Perez, Burch Smith and Justin Verlander are on the 60-Day IL.

Cleveland Guardians – Two Straight Wins Over Detroit

Cleveland has taken the first two games of the series, winning 7-6 before securing a 4-3 victory in 10 innings. The Guardians are 3-2 over their last five games, with the other victory coming 6-1 against Toronto. Cleveland has scored 577 runs while batting .237 with a .314 on-base percentage and .372 slugging percentage. The Guardians have hit 133 home runs, fewer than Detroit's 158, but Cleveland has already secured two close victories in this series.

Chase DeLauter leads Cleveland with a .294 average, 131 hits and 60 RBI while adding 13 home runs. Steven Kwan is batting .273 with a .374 on-base percentage, and Jose Ramirez has 11 home runs, 48 RBI and 31 stolen bases. Cleveland's pitching staff owns a 3.74 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and .237 opponent batting average. The Guardians have struck out 1,306 hitters through 140 games and are 35-38 at Progressive Field this season.

Injuries: Chase DeLauter and Angel Martinez are day-to-day. Rhys Hoskins is on the 10-Day IL, Colin Holderman is on the 15-Day IL and Shawn Armstrong is on the 60-Day IL.

Pitching Matchup

Detroit Tigers – Jackson Jobe

Jackson Jobe is 1-2 with a 4.63 ERA and 1.46 WHIP through 23.1 innings. The right-hander has allowed 24 hits and 10 walks while recording 19 strikeouts. Jobe has surrendered four home runs during his limited workload. His 1.46 WHIP reflects 34 combined hits and walks across just over 23 innings, leaving the 24-year-old with baserunners to manage during his appearances.

Cleveland Guardians – Gavin Williams

Gavin Williams is 13-7 with a 3.81 ERA and 1.09 WHIP through 163 innings. The right-hander has allowed 128 hits and 50 walks while striking out 217. Williams has surrendered 27 home runs, but his strikeout production has been a major part of his season. He has averaged more than one strikeout per inning while keeping his WHIP close to 1.00 across a substantial workload.

Detroit Tigers vs Cleveland Guardians Game Pick

• Cleveland Guardians

Cleveland is the pick Sunday with Gavin Williams holding a clear advantage in starting pitching experience and season production. Williams is 13-7 with a 3.81 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 217 strikeouts across 163 innings. Detroit has lost four of its last five games and is 30-42 away from home. Cleveland has already won the first two games of this series, including Saturday's 10-inning result. The Guardians also remain close to first place in the AL Central; therefore, Cleveland is the play on Sunday.

Detroit Tigers vs Cleveland Guardians Over/Under Pick

• Under

Starting pitching points toward Under on Sunday, particularly with Gavin Williams working deep into a strong season. Williams owns a 1.09 WHIP and has allowed only 128 hits through 163 innings while recording 217 strikeouts. Detroit has scored three runs or fewer in three of its last five games, including losses of 11-1, 15-2 and 4-3. Cleveland has scored 577 runs this season with a .372 slugging percentage. Jackson Jobe has higher numbers, but Williams can help keep the combined score down.