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The Detroit Tigers are trying to avoid being swept by the New York Yankees as they wrap up their season series Thursday night. Below we will continue our MLB odds series as we hand out a Tigers-Yankees prediction and pick. We will also let you know how to watch the game.
The Tigers have lost the first two games of the series, and they ran into some bad luck. Game one was a schedule bullpen day for Detroit, but game two was Matt Manning's start. Unfortunately, Manning took a line drive off the foot in the first inning, and he was forced to exit the game. Game two then became another bullpen day for the Tigers, so the relief arms in game three will be few and far between. Detroit is just waiting for the season to end, but of course, they still want to play well.
The Yankees have won five in a row, and eight of their last 10 games. New York is back above .500 for the fist time in a while, and they are not out of playoff contention yet. The Yankees are 6.5 games back of the final Wild Card spot, and that is something very reachable. They end the season with 10 games left against the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays. If they can win seven of those games, they will be in good shape. The Yankees will also need to beat a few good National League teams, but they will cross that bridge when they get there. Aaron Boone and the Yankees believe they are not out of the playoff race, and they are finally starting to play like it.
Eduardo Rodriguez will get the ball for the Tigers. Carlos Rodon takes the mound for the Yankees.
Here are the Tigers-Yankees MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Tigers-Yankees Odds
Detroit Tigers: +1.5 (-144)
New York Yankees: -1.5 (+120)
Over: 8.5 (-105)
Under: 8.5 (-115)
How To Watch Tigers vs. Yankees
TV: Bally Sports Detroit, YES Network
Stream: MLB TV subscription
Time: 7:05 PM ET/4:05 PM PT
*Watch MLB games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Tigers Could Cover The Spread
Rodriguez is the ace on the Tigers. He has a 3.11 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, and opponents are batting just .229 off him. The left-hander is also a little better when pitching on the road. When he is away from Detroit, Rodriguez has a 3.03 ERA, his K/9 is up, his BB/9 is down, and his home runs allowed are down. His oBA is rises to .235, but that is still very low. The Yankees offense has fallen to be one of the worst in the MLB. They have a team batting average below .230, a team OPS below .710, and they are bottom-10 in the league in runs scored. All of this gives the edge to Rodriguez. If he can have a good outing, the Tigers will cover the spread.
Why The Yankees Could Cover The Spread
Rodon has not pitched well this season, but the Yankees are hoping that he has turned a corner with his last start. He is coming off a game in which he threw five innings, allowed two runs on three hits, and led the Yankees to a win over the Houston Astros. Rodon's walks are up, and he has give up his fair share of home runs, but he also holds opponents to a .228 batting average. The Tigers are bottom-5 in the MLB in runs scored, batting average, home runs, and OPS. Detroit struggles at the plate, and Rodon should be able to take advantage of that. As long as Rodon can carry his last start into this one, the Yankees will cover the spread.
Final Tigers-Yankees Prediction & Pick
If both these pitchers are at their very best, this game could end up being a 2-0 final score. However, Rodon has been a little but unpredictable this season. The Tigers are the underdogs, and I trust Eduardo Rodriguez a little bit more than Rodon. I will take the Tigers to cover the spread.
Final Tigers-Yankees Prediction & Pick: Tigers +1.5 (-144), Under 8.5 (-115)
