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Pirates vs Tigers Game 1 Prediction & Best Bets (5/29): Will Skubal Spin Another Gem?
Written by: Eddie Griffin
Last Updated:
Read Time: 5 minutes
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With yesterday’s matchup being postponed due to inclement weather, the Pittsburgh Pirates and Detroit Tigers are slated to play two today. Paul Skenes will be on the bump in the second game, but in the opener, AL Cy Young Award frontrunner Tarik Skubal will be in the spotlight.
After losing 14 of 19, the Tigers (26-27) got a much-needed series win over the weekend, taking three of four from the Toronto Blue Jays at home. With a sweep in today’s twin bill, they will move back over the .500 mark.
The Pirates (25-29) are also coming off a weekend series win, as they took two of three at home against the Atlanta Braves. Since falling to a season-worst six games under .500, Pittsburgh has won six of ten games.
A Skenes-Skubal duel would garner a lot of attention, but the Pirates are instead saving Skenes for the second game and giving another promising rookie, Jared Jones, the ball for the opener.
Pittsburgh Pirates vs Detroit Tigers Odds
Odds are via Bovada, a longtime fixture in the sports betting industry. Check out our Bovada sportsbook review, then grab yourself a nice sign-up bonus to bet on Major League Baseball.
Moneyline
- Pittsburgh Pirates +130
- Detroit Tigers -150
Over/Under
- Over 7 (+100)
- Under 7 (-120)
Run Line
- Pittsburgh Pirates +1.5 (-165)
- Detroit Tigers -1.5 (+145)
Looking for more baseball picks? Our MLB picks page features moneyline, total (over/under), and run line (spread) picks for every MLB game on the schedule each day.
Pitching Matchup for Pirates vs Tigers Game 1
- Pittsburgh Pirates: RHP Jared Jones (10 starts, 3-4, 3.05 ERA)
- Detroit Tigers: LHP Tarik Skubal (10 starts, 6-1, 2.25 ERA)
Pittsburgh Pirates vs Detroit Tigers Betting Analysis
Last Wednesday, Skubal suffered his first loss of the season, as he gave up four runs, six hits, and two walks in five innings in an 8-3 loss at Kansas City.
The Tigers are now 7-3 in Skubal’s starts this season, including 4-1 at home. The forecast is favorable for that record to improve this afternoon, even though the Pirates hit better against LHP than RHP.
Season Batting Splits for the Pittsburgh Pirates
- vs LHP: .238 BA
- vs RHP: .224 BA
- vs LHP starters (21 games): .237 BA, 4.43 runs per game
- vs RHP starters (33 games): .223 BA, 3.67 runs per game
Skubal is the AL Cy Young favorite because he has largely been outstanding. But when he hasn’t pitched well, he has done a good job of bouncing back.
Prior to his last start, he had allowed four runs in two previous starts this season, and across the two starts that followed, he allowed no runs, five hits, and two walks in 11 innings.
Skenes may be the biggest new name in Pittsburgh’s rotation, but Jones is mounting an impressive NL Rookie of the Year campaign himself. He has yet to allow more than three runs in any start and is currently in the top 20 in MLB in quality starts, strikeouts, strikeouts per nine innings, and WHIP.
In four starts this month, he is 1-1 with a 2.88 ERA and 21 hits, nine runs (eight earned), five walks, and 26 strikeouts in 25 innings.
Pittsburgh Pirates vs Detroit Tigers Prediction & Best Bets
Pirates vs Tigers Prediction: Tigers to win
Pirates vs Tigers Best Bets: 1) Jared Jones over 6.5 strikeouts (-130 at Bovada), 2) Jared Jones over 17.5 total pitcher outs (-135 at Bovada)
I like Skubal and the Tigers here, but there’s too much juice with the moneyline, and the run line isn’t overly appealing for a game that could be close. Instead, I’m focusing on a couple of Jones props. had seven or more strikeouts in seven starts, including four of five road starts, and he hasn’t had fewer than seven strikeouts in consecutive starts. Also, he has gone at least six innings in each of his four starts this month, and that streak should continue against the Tigers.
More MLB Betting Information
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Futures bets (like Cy Young odds) and prop bets (like strikeout props and batting props) are also one of the most popular ways to bet on the action on the diamond.
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