Don't look now, but a tantalizing inter-league matchup is on the docket when the Detroit Tigers take on the Arizona Diamondbacks. Join us for our MLB odds series, where our Tigers-Diamondbacks prediction and pick will be revealed.

Losers of two straight games, the Tigers enter this series with a 21-22 record which puts them in fourth-place within the AL Central Standings. Luckily, Detroit is only 5.5 games back of the division lead with their divisional counterparts struggling as well. Tasked with helping the team get back to the .500 mark will be lefty Tarik Skubal who has been near flawless with a 5-0 record and 2.02 ERA.

On the other side of things, the Diamondbacks plan on sending out righty Ryne Nelson to battle things out with the Tigers. So far, Nelson is 2-2 with a 5.33 ERA. Overall, the reigning National League champion Diamondbacks have accounted for a 21-23 record and are an even 11-11 at home.

Here are the MLB Odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

MLB Odds: Tigers-Diamondbacks Odds

Detroit Tigers: -1.5 (+114)

Moneyline: -142

Arizona Diamondbacks: +1.5 (-137)

Moneyline: +120

Over: 8 (-115)

Under: 8 (-105)

How to Watch Tigers vs. Diamondbacks

Time: 9:40 ET/6:40 PT

TV: MLB.TV

Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)

Why The Tigers Will Cover The Spread/Win

For starters, the best shot that the Tigers have in this one is to attack the Snakes with the obvious. On paper, every few pitchers in all of baseball have been as effective as Tarik Skubal from the rubber. Not only has Skubal avoided a loss next to his overall record, but he also boasts the sixth-best ERA at 2.02 and owns a dominating .086 WHIP. Without a doubt, Skubal will be a part of some AL Cy Young discussions if he can continue to pitch at this level. To put it frankly, the 27-year-old from California has been nearly untouchable this season en route to throwing for 60 strikeouts and just eight walks. Against a high-scoring team like Arizona, Skubal will certainly have his work cut out for him but he should be more than capable for the challenge.

Despite Skubal's dominance to begin the regular season, coming up with ways to give their hurler some run support could end up being crucial. Throughout the regular season up to this point, the Tigers have struggled mightily on their way to scoring just the 23rd most runs in Major League Baseball. In addition, Detroit has found it hard to reach base consistently with a lousy .297 on-base percentage. Until the Tigers can prove that they can come up clutch at the dish when it matters the most, then they will continue to be difficult to trust.

Why The Diamondbacks Will Cover The Spread/Win

While the Diamondbacks haven't gotten off to the start they would've liked this season, this is still a very much dangerous team in multiple aspects.

To begin, not only has Arizona won two of their last three, but they happen to be a high-powered machine with the sticks. Currently, the Diamondbacks have scored the fifth-most runs in baseball and can get hot in the blink of an eye. Be on the lookout for names like Ketel Marte and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. to get the party started at the plate. Combined, the pairing have hit a total of 14 home runs and 49 RBIs. Against a pitcher with the caliber of Tyler Skubal, the Diamondbacks will need to spend no time stringing together productive at-bats in order to cover the spread.

Altogether, the biggest takeaway is that the Diamondbacks will need to come up clutch from the mound. With the concern not necessarily coming from the offensive side of things, the biggest question mark will fall on the shoulders of Ryne Nelson who could be in line for a bounce-back game against a lackluster Tigers offense. Ever since attempting to develop a harder slider during spring training, Nelson has still been getting squared up by opposing offenses to begin the season. Most recently, Nelson was roughed up for three runs on ten hits. In addition, Nelson has not pitched at least six innings in three straight outings. As long as Nelson can pick up some positive momentum in the early frames, then the Diamondbacks should be in a phenomenal position to take care of business.

Final Tigers-Diamondbacks Prediction & Pick

Simply put, this is an intriguing inter-league matchup that could go either way. However, since Arizona will be playing in front of their home fans and possesses an offense that can get to Skubal early, siding with Arizona seems like the smart choice here especially as underdogs.

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Final Tigers-Diamondbacks Prediction & Pick: Diamondbacks +1.5 (-137)