The Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees will open up a three-game set in the Bronx on Friday night. It’s time to continue our MLB odds series and make a Tigers-Yankees prediction and pick.

Detroit has been going through a horrible slump of late, losing eight of its last 10 games coming in. New York is slowly starting to get its season back on track with wins in five of its last eight games played. With their ace on the bump, will the Yankees be able to take the first game of this weekend series?

Here’s how sportsbooks have set the Tigers-Yankees odds.

MLB Odds: Tigers-Yankees Odds

Detroit Tigers +1.5 (+147)

New York Yankees -1.5 (-167)

Over 7.5 Runs (-117)

Under 7.5 Runs (-103)

Why The Tigers Could Cover The Spread

The Tigers are currently 8-18 on the season and haven't done themselves any favors of late. Detroit is 1-7 in its last eight games and has only surpassed two runs scored in one of them. The Tigers are 4-9 both at home and on the road, which doesn't give us much hope for this club in the Bronx. Detroit has to be hoping that the Yankees will continue their home woes as they're 1-5 in their last six home games. Detroit will need to get the bats going against Gerrit Cole, and it all starts with the success of Miguel Cabrera.

Detroit will hand the ball to Tarik Skubal for the sixth time this season. Skubal will be making his fourth start and currently holds a record of 0-3 with a 5.28 ERA coming in. His last outing came in relief against the Royals on Sunday. Skubal threw 2.2 innings and allowed two runs on four hits with no walks in the 4-0 loss. The Tigers left-hander is 0-2 with a 6.08 ERA as a starter this year and will now get his first start against the Yankees of his young career.

There certainly aren't many arguments for Detroit covering this spread, but stranger things have happened.

Why The Yankees Could Cover The Spread

The Yankees have had an uncharacteristic and utterly disappointing start to the 2021 season. The Yankees opened the year as a top-three favorite to win the World Series and now sit in dead-last in the AL East after a month of play. They are 11-14 on the season and haven't done themselves any favors in the Bronx, going 4-7 ATS in their 11 home games this far. Arguably one of the best lineups in baseball is only averaging 3.68 runs per game, which is good for 26th in the league. They've shown some signs of life recently and now have a favorable matchup against a below-average left-handed arm in Tarik Skubal. The Yankees are also 10-1 in their last 11 games against AL Central opponents coming in.

It is always a promising sign for New York when Gerrit Cole trouts out to the mound. Cole has been nothing short of incredible this season as he enters the series opener sporting a 3-1 record with a 1.71 ERA in five starts. Cole has been lights out, striking out 50 batters in just 31 2/3 innings of work. In his last start against the Cleveland Indians, the Yankee right-hander threw seven innings, allowing one run and three hits while striking out 11. Gerrit Cole will make his eighth career start against the Tigers. He is 5-1 with a 2.23 ERA and 55 strikeouts across 44 1/3 innings of work against Detroit.

Final Tigers-Yankees Prediction & Pick

This has to be a get-right spot for the Yankees. They have to start smelling blood and going for the kill against clubs like the Tigers. Whatever happened to the savages in the box? The Yankees have been passive at the plate, despite all of the pop that this lineup possesses. Tarik Skubal has struggled this season and now has a test against the Bronx Bombers in a hitter-friendly ballpark. A righty-heavy Yankees lineup should be excited to get after this pitcher. With Cole on the mound, the Yankees just need to find a way to plate more than three runs and this cover is close to guaranteed.

FINAL PICK: New York Yankees -1.5 (-167)