Tigers vs. Pirates Odds
| Tigers Odds | -126 |
| Pirates Odds | +108 |
| Over/Under | 7 |
| Time | 7:05 p.m. ET |
| TV | MLB.TV |
| Odds via FanDuel. Get up-to-the-minute MLB odds here. | |
Welp, it's the series we've all been waiting for. The Detroit Tigers travel to Pittsburgh to take on the Pirates. I, for one, am on the edge of my seat with anticipation for this series, as two titans of baseball square off against each other.
Tarik Skubal faces off against Jose Quintana in a battle of LHP that are both exceeding expectations in 2022 — Skubal for good reasons, and Quintana is still a mystery.
However, this matchup is so bad that this game might actually be good.
Tigers' Offense Falling Off Cliff
The Tigers were on a nice little run, winning two consecutive series before getting absolutely dismantled by the New York Yankees in the Bronx.
It's been tough sledding this season for the Tigers, as a campaign with high expectations and hope of forward motion has been derailed by multiple injuries to multiple key pitchers.
Austin Meadows might be making his return to the lineup Tuesday night after battling a case of vertigo.
One thing the Tigers did well in 2021 that they have not carried into this season is hit LHP. In 2022, they have struggled to hit any pitcher, but lefties in particular.
Over the past month, the Tigers have the worst team wRC+ against LHP on the road.
The Tigers' saving grace is that Skubal is on the mound, and he gives them their best chance of winning. Frankly, Skubal should be considered the early front runner for the AL Cy Young (don't @ me).
Pirates Are Playing Excellent Ball
The Pittsburgh Pirates rode the high of sweeping the Dodgers on the road to a series victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks at home.
I don't know what to make of this.
Surprisingly, the Pirates have the ninth-best team wRC+ against LHP at home over the past month, but Skubal is not just "some lefty."
Speaking of lefties, Quintana gets the start for the Pirates. The only people that realize he's pitching well this season are his teammates and the bettors that are continually fading him in his starts.
Tigers-Pirates Pick
If there's an edge here, the Tigers clearly have it when it comes to pitching. Their bullpen has been one of the better units over the past few weeks, and Skubal is the real deal.
However, the Tigers' offense is really struggling. They have more sub .200 hitters in their lineup than my adult league team (we stink).
Considering the whole picture, the under of 7 seems like the best option here. It's a low total, but these are two low-scoring offenses and this is a pretty good pitching matchup. It's hard to back the Tigers' offense on the road, so just play the total to the -120 threshold.
Pick: Under 7 -115
