The New York Yankees will continue their three-game series with the Detroit Tigers on Saturday at Comerica Park. We're live from Motown as we share our MLB odds series and make a Yankees-Tigers prediction and pick while showing you how to watch.
Yankees-Tigers Projected Starters
Carlos Rodon vs. Keider Montero
Carlos Rodon (13-7) with a 4.18 ERA
Last Start: Rodon had a mixed outing, tossing 5 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing three hits, striking out six, and walking five in a win over the Texas Rangers.
2024 Road Splits: Rodon has struggled on the road, going 6-5 with a 4.81 ERA over 14 starts away from Yankee Stadium.
Keider Montero (3-5) with a 5.76 ERA
Last Start: Montero labored in his last outing, going five innings, allowing four earned runs, five hits, striking out two, and walking four in a win over the San Francisco Giants.
2024 Home Splits: Montero has struggled mightily at home, going 0-4 with a 6.47 ERA over six starts at Comerica Park.
Here are the MLB Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Yankees-Tigers Odds
New York Yankees: -1.5 (-114)
Moneyline: -194
Detroit Tigers: +1.5 (-105)
Moneyline: +162
Over: 8.5 (-115)
Under: 8.5 (-105)
How to Watch Yankees vs. Tigers
Time: 1:10 PM ET/10:10 AM PT
TV: MLB Network
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The Yankees Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Yankees came into the weekend holding onto the top wildcard spot in the American League. However, they were embroiled in a tie with the Baltimore Orioles for first place in the AL East. They have been trading blows with the Orioles for the last few weeks, and eventually, one of them will emerge as the best team in the division. For the Yankees to finally overtake the O's, they need their lineup to continue battering the baseball.
Juan Soto joined Babe Ruth as one of six Yankees to ever hit six or more home runs in a four-game stretch, according to Sarah Langs. Amazingly, he is starting to heat up at the right time as the Yankees prepare for the playoff race. Soto will be the first threat the Yanks employ in this lineup. It will give pitchers more to think about, even with the guy behind Soto looming.
Aaron Judge leads the Yankees in hits, home runs, and RBIs. Remarkably, he needs just 19 home runs over his final 40 games to match the 62 home runs he set two seasons ago. There is no doubt that Judge can do it, and he will be a major threat at the plate in this one. Additionally, there are players like Alex Verdugo and Giancarlo Stanton who can still rake the baseball and drive Soto and Judge in.
Rodon has had an up-and-down season but gets a chance to fix his issues in this one. But he has struggled against the Tigers, going 6-3 with a 5.21 ERA over 12 starts against them in his history. When Rodon finishes, he will turn it over to a bullpen that is 10th in team ERA. Clay Holmes is the closer but has had some issues, going 2-4 with a 2.81 ERA and 25 saves in 34 chances.
The Yankees will cover the spread if Soto and Judge can continue to clobber the baseball with ease. Then, they need a good outing from Rodon.
Why The Tigers Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Tigers are basically out of the playoff race as they came into the weekend trailing the final wildcard spot by 7 1/2 games. Sadly, injuries and bad hitting have caused their demise, and the Tigers have not been able to compete with the rest of the league. In order to win this game, the Tigers will need their bats to make contact.
Riley Greene is currently injured with a hamstring injury. Therefore, the Tigers are attempting to keep themselves competitive without him. Kerry Carpenter recently returned and certainly has the ability to batter the baseball into the seats in right field. Meanwhile, Matt Vierling leads the team in hits and sets the tone for his teammates.
Montero has not had a good season and needs to do more. Unfortunately, he has a tough test ahead of him as he faces one of the best lineups in baseball. When Montero finishes, he will turn it over to a bullpen that is 16th in team ERA. Jason Foley is the closer and comes in with a record of 3-4 with a 3.48 ERA and 16 saves in 19 chances.
The Tigers will cover the spread if Vierling and Carpenter can both strike early to stake the Tigers to an early lead. Then, they need a solid outing from Montero.
Final Yankees-Tigers Prediction & Pick
The Yankees came into the weekend with a run-line record of 64-58, while the Tigers were 65-57. Meanwhile, the Yanks were also 38-25 against the run line on the road, while the Tigers were just 27-33 against the run line at home. While Rodon has struggled recently, it is easier to trust him and the New York offense compared to Montero and the Detroit offense. Expect the Yankees to smash the baseball and get an early lead, which will help them cover the spread.
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Final Yankees-Tigers Prediction & Pick: New York Yankees: -1.5 (-114)