Indians at Tigers
The first-place Cleveland Indians begin a stretch of 16 straight games against American League Central rivals when they visit the Detroit Tigers on Friday night for the first of three contests. The Indians have won eight of their last 11 games after sweeping a pair of interleague contests against Milwaukee to start the week, in which they allowed just three runs combined.
Cleveland’s Edwin Encarnacion has hit safely in 11 of his last 12 games with six homers and 15 RBIs, while teammate Jose Ramirez owns hits in nine of the past 10 contests with five blasts in that stretch to push his season total to 19. The Indians will send Trevor Bauer to the mound in the series opener while the Tigers counter with Michael Fulmer, who has won once since April 7 and struggled in his lone start against Cleveland in 2018. Leonys Martin, who is 6-for-14 against the Indians this season, registered a triple and a two-run homer Thursday as Detroit salvaged the finale of a three-game set against Boston with a 7-2 victory after scoring one run in the first two contests in the series. The second-place Tigers trail Cleveland by four games in the AL Central and have won 10 of their last 16 contests overall while boasting a 20-14 record at Comerica Park.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, SportsTime Ohio (Cleveland), FS Detroit
PITCHING MATCHUP: Indians RH Trevor Bauer (4-4, 2.77 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Michael Fulmer (2-5, 4.73)
Bauer has struggled in his last two starts despite striking out 24, allowing 11 runs (seven earned) over 13 innings combined, following two straight scoreless outings. The 27-year-old UCLA product has already beat the Tigers twice this season, including May 16 when he blanked them on four hits across eight innings with 10 strikeouts. Martin is 5-for-7 and Miguel Cabrera 8-for-25 with a homer versus Bauer, who is 6-5 with a 6.48 ERA against Detroit in his career.
Fulmer has only one victory in his last 10 trips to the mound, including a loss Sunday against Toronto after yielding four runs over six innings. The 25-year-old Oklahoma City native lasted a season-low three innings in his only start against Cleveland this year on April 12, permitting nine runs (six earned) and eight hits. Ramirez is 4-for-10 with two homers against Fulmer, who is 2-3 with a 7.31 ERA in six career contests versus the Indians.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cabrera is one RBI from tying Ernie Banks (1,636) for 32nd on major league baseball’s all-time list.
2. Cleveland OF Brandon Guyer (neck) could be ready to return to the roster as early as Friday.
3. The Indians are 32-12 against the Tigers since the beginning of the 2016 season after winning five of the first seven this year.