Detroit Tigers, Chicago Cubs Start Playoff Eliminator Series on Tuesday Night
One of the most surprising developments over the last few weeks in the MLB is the performance of the Detroit Tigers.
They were written off after the trade deadline, parting ways with several veterans to bring back assets for the future, but stopped short of a full-blown teardown by holding onto their ace, Tarik Skubal.
The Tigers have also kept their playoff hopes alive, playing some of their best baseball over the last two weeks of the season.
On Sunday, Detroit wrapped up a brutal 25-game stretch that included contests solely against teams over the .500 mark. The start was rough, as they lost nine out of 13, but closed strong by winning eight out of 12.
A 12-13 record may not seem like much, but they took two series from the Seattle Mariners and one from the New York Yankees. They are still nine games back in the Wild Card, but the Tigers are going to be playing some semi-important baseball down the stretch.
That starts on Tuesday night as they will be facing off against another fringe contender in the Chicago Cubs. It is the first and only time these teams will face off in 2024.
This series will have a playoff-like feel as the loser can likely kiss their slim playoff hopes goodbye.
For Game 1, Detroit has been installed as the underdogs. They are currently listed at +125.
The Tigers don’t have a starting pitcher currently listed at the time of writing, as they will be going with an opener, but if they follow the same rotation they did last week, Beau Brieske opened and pitched 1.1 innings before giving way to Bryan Sammons, who pitched 5.2 innings against the Mariners.
Starting for the Cubs is Javier Assad. He is making his 23rd start of the season and has recorded a record of 5-3 with a 3.19 ERA to this point.
Being at home and with the presumed pitching edge on Tuesday night, Chicago is a sizable favorite at -148. The over/under for runs scored has been set at 7.5.
The Cubs have had a lot of success this season when listed as favorites of at least -148, going 13-6. When this large of underdogs, Detroit has gone 8-18.
With both teams desperate for victories, there should be some great baseball played.
The Tigers currently have a 1.1 percent chance of making the playoffs, while Chicago has a 3.4 percent chance.
KENNETH TEAPE
Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. In addition to his work here, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.