3 Guardians Who Are the Biggest Threats to Detroit Tigers in ALDS
The Detroit Tigers were able to defeat the Houston Astros and advance to the American League Divisional Series against the Cleveland Guardians.
In the ALDS, the American League Central is well-represented, as the Tigers, Guardians, and Kansas City Royals will all be playing. As divisional opponents, Detroit knows Cleveland well, as they played 13 times this season, and the Guardians had the advantage with a 7-6 record.
This will be a best of five series for the Tigers, as they will be looking to keep up their magical run. While the Astros were a very tough opponent and a popular pick in the American League, the Tigers can’t take the Guardians lightly.
Even though the starting pitching for the Astros was far better than that of Cleveland, the Guardians have an excellent bullpen to use. With that being said, here are the three biggest threats for the Tigers as they head into their ALDS matchup against Cleveland.
Josh Naylor
It was another very strong season for first baseman Josh Naylor of the Guardians, as he was arguably the second-best hitter on the team. This year, Naylor saw a drop in his batting average compared to last campaign, but a massive jump in power.
In 2024, Naylor totaled 31 home runs and 108 RBIs, as he became a true middle of the order hitter for Cleveland. The slugger was also very good against Detroit this season, as he totaled a .300 batting average, three home runs and nine RBIs in 40 at-bats.
Emmanuel Clase
As mentioned, the bullpen for the Guardians is arguably the best in baseball, and it is Emmanuel Clase who is the anchor in the backend. The talented right-hander had one of the best seasons for a closer in the history of baseball, as he recorded 47 saves, a 0.61 ERA, and 0.66 WHIP this campaign.
For the Tigers, they will want to avoid seeing Clase as much as possible, as if they are facing him in the ninth inning trailing, they might as well start preparing for the next game.
Jose Ramirez
When facing the Guardians, all eyes are generally on Jose Ramirez. Cleveland’s third baseman is one of the best players in baseball, and he can be a difference maker in a game or a series. This season, Ramirez totaled a .279 batting average, 39 home runs, and 118 RBIs. As clearly the best player on the team, Detroit has to be mindful when pitching to him in certain situations.
The All-Star was a thorn in the side of the Tigers this season, as he totaled a .347 batting average, five home runs, and 12 RBIs. It will be interesting to see how A.J. Hinch looks to attack the switch hitter, as they will certainly be trying to avoid pitching to him.
