Cleveland Guardians vs Detroit Tigers

Cleveland Guardians at Detroit Tigers (2026-08-12). Foster Griffin vs Framber Valdez at Comerica Park.

Starters — Griffin brings a 3.31 ERA and 1.11 WHIP across 133.1 innings, with 8.24 K/9, 2.16 BB/9, and 1.42 HR/9. His season-long command has been strong, but his recent form has slipped. Over his last three starts, he allowed 5 earned runs in 4 innings, 6 earned runs in 5.1 innings, and 3 earned runs in 6.2 innings. The listed trend is up, but the recent game log points to some short-term volatility, especially with hard contact risk. Valdez has a 4.17 ERA and 1.37 WHIP in 127.1 innings, with 7.28 K/9, 3.18 BB/9, and 0.85 HR/9. His strikeout rate is lower and the traffic is heavier than Griffin’s, but he has been in much better recent rhythm. In his last three starts, he worked 7 scoreless innings, then 7 innings with 2 earned runs, then 5 innings with 2 earned runs. The listed trend is down, and his recent run prevention has clearly improved.

Teams — Cleveland enters with a .682 OPS and 477 runs scored, alongside a .233 team average. The Guardians’ pitching staff has been solid overall with a 3.85 ERA and 1.27 WHIP, but the offense has lagged and the recent form is poor at 2-8 over the last 10. Detroit has the stronger offensive profile with a .728 OPS, 545 runs, and a .243 average. The Tigers also hold the better run prevention numbers, posting a 3.48 team ERA and 1.20 WHIP. Their 8-2 mark over the last 10 adds to the case that they are playing cleaner baseball on both sides.