Kluber opposes Verlander as Indians host Tigers (Apr 15, 2017)
CLEVELAND -- A pair of aces will square off Saturday when the Cleveland Indians and Detroit Tigers play the middle game of their three-game series at Progressive Field.
Saturday's pitching matchup will feature Detroit's Justin Verlander and Cleveland's Corey Kluber, who have combined for 232 career wins and two Cy Young Awards.
This series is the first meeting of the year between the two teams in a rivalry that Cleveland dominated last year on the way to the American League pennant. The Indians were 14-4 against the Tigers last year. That made Detroit's 7-6 win over the Indians Friday night that much sweeter.
"When you're playing in your division you always want to win," Detroit Manager Brad Ausmus said. "The Indians are the defending American League champs, so it's good to beat them."
Last year Verlander and Kluber finished second and third respectively in the Cy Young Award voting, behind Boston's Rick Porcello.
Verlander and Kluber have historically struggled against the other's team. Saturday will be Verlander's 49th career start against Cleveland. His record against the Indians is 19-21, the most losses he has against any team. His career record in Progressive Field is 9-14.
Kluber has made 17 appearances versus the Tigers, 16 of them starts. His record is 5-6 with a 4.05 ERA. Last year, however, Kluber had the Tigers' number, going 3-0 with a 2.25 ERA. Verlander made five starts against Cleveland last year and was 1-3 with a 4.88 ERA.
After going 18-9 with a 3.14 ERA last year, Kluber is still looking for his first win this year. In his two starts he is 0-1 with a 5.25 ERA. Verlander, however, is 1-0 with a 1.35 ERA in two starts.
Detroit is in first place in the Central Division with a record of 7-3, while the slumping Indians are 4-6, and tied with Kansas City for fourth place. Since sweeping a three-game season-opening series at Texas, the Indians have struggled. They have lost six of their last seven games and have been outscored 40-16 in those games.
With the exception of Francisco Lindor, who is hitting .316 and has hit in eight straight games, all the other Indians are in a slump. That includes Edwin Encarnacion, who hit 42 home runs and led the American League with 127 RBI last year, while with Toronto. Even with a two-hit night on Friday, Encarnacion is still only hitting .192, with one home run and one RBI.
Francona hopes a pinch-hit grand slam by Lonnie Chisenhall in the ninth inning of a 7-6 loss to the Tigers Friday night might help kick start the Indians' offense.
"You never know what can jump start a team or a player," Francona said.
The Tigers' offense has been sputtering at times as well, particularly Miguel Cabrera, who came to Cleveland Friday hitting just .133 with one home run and one RBI. But Cabrera historically has feasted on Indians pitching and, sure enough, in Friday's game he was 2-for-3 with a home run and three RBIs.
Cabrera's average in 626 career at bats against Cleveland is .351, with 43 home runs and 145 RBIs.
Kluber will have his hands full trying to handle Cabrera. In 47 career at bats versus Kluber, Cabrera has a .426 batting average, with two doubles, five home runs and 10 RBIs.
