Play of the Day: Tigers at Indians

By Mike Grimala (contact)

Friday, April 14, 2017 | 10:29 a.m.

We’ve entered the third season of the annual South Point-lined Play of the Day competition, effective July 1.

Starting bankrolls have reset to $10,000, with the maximum bet being to win $1,000 and the minimum wager $300. Ray Brewer won the 2015-2016 season, after Taylor Bern prevailed in 2014-2015. Bern stepped away in the middle of the 2016-2017 season with a 16-12 record and $13,317 bankroll, with Mike Grimala taking his place.

Detroit Tigers plus-152 vs. Cleveland Indians: $400 to win $608

Cleveland is coming off a World Series appearance, but Terry Francona's team hasn't hit its stride yet this spring, winning just four of its first nine games. The offense in particular has yet to warm up, as the Indians are batting just .221 as a team.

The Tigers have been even worse with the bats (.218 average), but they've offset that by slugging 13 home runs as a team (second-most in the AL). The homers, along with solid starting pitching (3.38 ERA out of the starting rotation), have helped propel Detroit to a 6-3 mark.

This series was lopsided last year, with Cleveland winning 14 of 18 games, but this is a new season, and I think the Tigers' power-based lineup can get to shaky Cleveland starter Trevor Bauer (5.2 IP, 4 ER, 1 HR allowed in his first start). I think Detroit takes Bauer deep a couple times and wins this game.

Current Standings: Keefer (41-35-3, $8,307), Grimala (6-11, $7,625), Brewer (28-28-1, $7,385), Granger (13-18-1, $6,677)