The Detroit Tigers and Minnesota Twins will open up a three-game series on Monday night. It's time to continue our MLB odds series and make a Tigers-Twins prediction and pick.
The Tigers had won seven games in a row before dropping their last three contests. The Twins were part of Detroit's winning streak, getting swept by the Tigers directly after the All-Star break. Minnesota has already decided to punt on a disappointing season, dealing designated hitter Nelson Cruz to the Tampa Bay Rays and solidifying their status as sellers at the trade deadline. Detroit hasn't made any deadline deals yet, but some Tigers players certainly available for the right price. Neither of these squads are vying for the playoffs, but they are pretty evenly matched. This should be an exciting matchup.
Here's how the bookmakers have set the odds for Monday's game.
MLB Odds: Tigers-Twins Odds
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Detroit Tigers ML (+142)
Minnesota Twins ML (-154)
Over 10 runs (-108)
Under 10 runs (-112)
Why The Tigers Could Win
Detroit has been surprisingly hot at the plate lately, scoring more than four runs in five of the last nine games. The Tigers could continue to swing the bat well against struggling Twins starter Michael Pineda.
Pineda's numbers on the year are decent, but his last seven starts have left a lot to be desired. In that span his ERA sits at 5.45, pairing with a WHIP of 1.48. Neither are good numbers, so the Tigers should be capitalize on Pineda's cold streak.
Pineda has also started a personal trend of being pulled early from ball games, another factor that plays into Detroit's hands. That means the Minnesota bullpen could be involved as early as the fourth or fifth inning. The Twins have a solid relief corps, but they aren't good enough to pitch four or five shutdown innings against anyone. If the Tigers can get to the bullpen early, Detroit has a great shot at stealing this series opener.
Why The Twins Could Win
When Minnesota wins games, it's usually off the strength of the offense. The Twins rank eighth in the league in slugging percentage while also ranking fourth in the league in home runs hit. They definitely lost some of their pop when Cruz headed down to Tampa Bay, but they remain a dangerous offensive team.
That power will certainly help against Detroit starter Matt Manning. Manning has only made six starts in his career, with all of them coming in recent weeks. None of his appearances have been particularly encouraging, as he owns an ERA of 5.79 and a WHIP of 1.46. The Twins should be able to get to the rookie with relative ease.
Pineda may not have the best stats as of late, but there are a couple of reasons to believe in him on Monday. The Tigers struggle against right-handed pitching, sporting worse statistics in every single major category against righties. Detroit is also a worse offense on the road than at home, owning a lower batting average, OBP, and OPS when playing away from Comerica Park.
Final Tigers-Twins Prediction & Pick
This is a tough pick, but the underdog is the right bet here. The Twins shouldn't be that heavily favored, as their projected starter has struggled recently. Minnesota also just shipped off its best hitter, so it's hard to expect the offense to maintain the same level of play. The Tigers have a pretty decent chance at breaking their losing streak in this series opener, so taking a little bit of a gamble on great odds is a pretty good choice.
FINAL PICK: Detroit Tigers ML (+142)
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