The Detroit Tigers will pay a visit to Pittsburgh to take on the Pirates at PNC Park. The game gets going at 7:35 p.m. ET and this interleague matchup will be shown on ATPT and FSDT.
Detroit Tigers at Pittsburgh Pirates Odds
Southpaw Matthew Boyd is projected to start for the visiting Tigers. Boyd is 0-1 with a 1.40 ERA and 11 strikeouts. He has yet to face the Pirates this year and only made one start against them in 2017 (0-1, 11.25 ERA and five strikeouts across four innings).
The Pirates are handing the ball to righty Chad Kuhl (2-1, 4.57 ERA), who’s got 17 strikeouts and seven walks to his credit, as well as a WHIP of 1.62. Kuhl is 1-0 with four strikeouts and a 6.35 ERA in one start against Detroit this year.
Detroit’s pitchers have allowed 4.5 runs per game and its starters own a 3.80 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 6.75 K/9. The bullpen has an ERA of 4.30, along with a WHIP of 1.25.
Tigers hitters have slashed .249/.319/.396 on their way to 4.7 runs scored per game in 2018, including 5.5 runs per game over the team’s last 10 games and 7.0 per game over the team’s last five contests (3-2 SU).
Third baseman Jeimer Candelario and first baseman Miguel Cabrera have led Detroit’s hitters. Candelario is hitting .277/.355/.494 with three home runs, 10 RBIs and seven runs scored, while Cabrera is hitting .300 with two homers, 14 RBIs and nine runs scored.
Candelario seemed to take a step back when hitting right-handed pitching on the road in 2017. Over 55 such plate appearances, he maintained a slash line of .173/.218/.269 (compared to his overall season line of .283/.359/.425).
For the home team, Pittsburgh’s pitchers have yielded 4.4 runs per game overall in 2018. Its starting pitching staff has a 3.69 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 6.9 strikeouts per nine innings. The bullpen has a 5.23 ERA, 1.49 WHIP and 9.2 K/9.
The Pittsburgh hitters have put up 4.7 runs per contest, including 2.7 per game over its last 10 games and 3.0 per game over their last five. The team has slashed .211/.270/.327 over its last five matchups and is 1-4 SU during that span.
Outfielder Starling Marte and catcher Francisco Cervelli have led the way for the Pirates’ batters this year. Marte is slashing .274/.365/.476 with 23 hits, eight RBIs, 16 runs and seven steals, while Cervelli’s line is .262/.361/.475 with 16 hits, 12 RBIs and seven runs.
Compared to his total season slash line of .275/.333/.379, Marte did not seem to enjoy hitting against left-handed pitchers at home last year, slashing .147/.216/.176 over 37 such plate appearances.
Detroit Tigers at Pittsburgh Pirates MLB Prediction
Predictions: SU Winner – Pirates, ATS Winner – Tigers, O/U – OVER
Notes
Betting Notes
The Pirates have lost six of their last seven games SU.
Pittsburgh has posted 16.3 Runs + Hits + Errors per game over its last 10 outings and 17.4 over its last five.
The Tigers have hit 13 home runs in their last 10 games. The Pirates have hit five over their last 10.
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