We have another thrilling Game 5 set to commence with a ticket to the ALCS on the line between Detroit and Cleveland on Saturday afternoon. This series has exemplified all the talent these two teams have to offer, and while both are deserving, only one will earn a trip to the Bronx next week. First pitch for today's ALDS finale is scheduled for 1:08 p.m. ET on TBS and Max.
Let's dive into my Tigers vs Guardians player props and MLB picks for Saturday, October 12.
Tigers vs Guardians Player Props for Game 5
- Tarik Skubal Over 4.5 Hits Allowed (+120, bet365)
- Jose Ramirez Over 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBIs (-120, bet365)
Tarik Skubal Player Props: Expect Some Regression From Detroit's Ace
The Tigers are perhaps the best option for this pivotal Game 5 matchup: They'll give the ball to Tarik Skubal. The soon-to-be-crowned AL Cy Young Award winner made a big statement in his first start of this series, throwing seven scoreless innings while only allowing three hits and striking out eight.
However, Detroit has leaned heavily on its bullpen since Skubal's last start, and the attrition may suggest that they will lean on Skubal to eat innings today, even if he has to work around some traffic.
This outing is more likely to be the mean of Skubal's two starts this year against the Guardians. The most recent one was in this series, and the other was on July 22, when he allowed 10 hits over seven innings of work.
The top four hitters in the Guardians order all hit lefties well, and it's possible they'll each get three chances against Skubal this afternoon. Look for the Guardians to capitalize on any regression we see from Skubal.
Jose Ramirez Player Props: Favorable Matchup for Cleveland's Slugger
Building off the angle above, one of the guys who has to make an impact this afternoon if the Guardians are going to advance is Jose Ramirez. Ramirez finally got off the schneid in Game 4, as he blasted his first home run of the postseason.
He will need to build off that in this matchup, and the numbers point to him having an impact, even against the likes of Tarik Skubal. For starters, Ramirez rakes against left-handed pitching as he hit .348 with a .347 ISO against them this season.
The Guardian's third baseman also has excellent numbers against Skubal. They have squared off 22 times, and to this point, Ramirez is hitting .429 with a .667 slugging percentage.
While another homer may be in the cards, it's highly likely that if the Guardians get to Skubal, Ramirez will be right in the middle of the production.
