The Detroit Tigers will pay a visit to Pittsburgh to play the Pirates at PNC Park. This interleague matchup gets going at 7:05 p.m. ET and you can watch the game on both ATPT and FSDT.
Detroit Tigers at Pittsburgh Pirates Odds
Vegas is listing Detroit (+145) as the underdog to Pittsburgh (-155). The total is sitting at 8.5 runs and bettors can wager on the over for -115 and the under for -105. You can also wager on the game’s runline with the odds coming in at Tigers +1.5 runs (-150) and Pirates +-1.5 runs (+130).
The Pirates are 12-10 SU and 12-10 ATS. They’ve gained 1.6 units for bettors taking the moneyline and 3.1 units against the spread (ATS). Pittsburgh has a 3-4 ATS mark over its last seven games and the total has gone under in three of those seven. The Tigers are 9-11 SU and have gone 10-10 ATS. Overall, the team’s lost 1.9 units for moneyline bettors in the season’s early going, but have gained 0.4 units ATS. Detroit’s covered the spread five times in its last seven games and the over has hit in four of those seven.
Pirates games have an over/under record of 11-8-3 thus far in 2018. Detroit has an over/under record of 9-11.
The right-handed Jordan Zimmermann is getting the nod for the visiting Tigers. Zimmermann is 1-0 with a 7.71 ERA and 18 strikeouts. He’s 0-0 with eight strikeouts and a 6.00 ERA against Pittsburgh this year.
The Pirates are going with righty Chad Kuhl (2-1, 4.57 ERA), who has 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 pitching staff allowed 4.5 runs per game and its starting pitchers 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 and a K/9 of 8.36.
The Tigers offense has slashed .249/.319/.396 on its way to 4.7 runs scored per game this season, 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).
Detroit’s offense has been led by third baseman Jeimer Candelario and first baseman Miguel Cabrera. Candelario is slashing .277/.355/.494 with three home runs, 10 RBIs and seven runs scored, while Cabrera has a .300 average with two homers, 14 RBIs and nine runs scored.
Candelario seemed to take a step back when hitting right-handed pitchers on the road last season. Across 55 such plate appearances, he put up a slash line of .173/.218/.269 (his overall season line was .283/.359/.425).
In the other dugout, Pittsburgh’s pitching staff has given up 4.4 runs per game overall in 2018. Its starters have 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 are putting up 4.7 runs per outing, 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 stretch.
Right fielder Starling Marte and catcher Francisco Cervelli have led the Pirates’ offense this year. Marte is slashing .274/.365/.476 with 23 hits, eight RBIs, 16 runs and seven stolen bases, and 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 enjoyed hitting against righty pitching at home last season, slashing .374/.447/.565 over 132 such plate appearances.
The Tigers have lost 0.1 units and are 9-8 ATS when facing a right-handed starting pitcher this season. The over has hit in six of those games, as opposed to 11 that’ve hit the under against righty starters. On the other hand, the Pirates have netted 2.0 units and are 10-8 ATS when facing a righty starter. The over has cashed in seven of those games, compared to eight that’ve gone under.
Detroit Tigers vs. Pittsburgh Pirates Prediction
Predictions: SU Winner – Pirates, ATS Winner – Tigers, O/U – OVER
Betting Trends
- The Pirates have lost six of their last seven games SU.
- Detroit has recorded 25.3 Runs + Hits + Errors per game over its last 10 outings and 28.2 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.
