Written by :
Published on :
This week's Tigers vs. Pirates series should be mostly a lopsided affair with Detroit the much better team here. The noted exception is Monday's game as Jack Flaherty starts for Detroit and ace Paul Skenes takes to the mound at home in Pittsburgh.
The Pirates come into this one as a rare -125 favorite against arguably one of the best teams in Major League Baseball right now.
Prop bets have Flaherty a favorite to allow Over 1.5 RBIs while Skenes pays $110 for every $100 bet on the Under 1.5 RBIs.
Flaherty (5-9, 4.65 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 124 strikeouts) vs. Skenes (4-8, 2.01 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 131 strikeouts) doesn't even look all that impressive on paper, but Skenes is certainly the better pitcher here. His excuse for the lackluster record is that the Pirates are just a terrible team. Flaherty doesn't really have much of an excuse.
Flaherty has allowed 10 RBIs versus these Pirates. Isiah Kiner-Falefa is 4-for-7 hitting with one RBI and a homer against Flaherty while Andrew McCutchen is 3-for-6 with an RBI.
Flaherty allowed two runs in five innings and got a no-decision against the Mariners his most recent start and, before that, Flaherty pitched well in a no-decision against the Rays.
Skenes fired a scoreless inning during Tuesday’s MLB All-Star Game at Truist Park in Atlanta. Skenes allowed two runs in five innings and took the loss against the Twins prior to the All Star Break.
Pittsburgh is 39-61 overall and 26-24 in home games. The Pirates have a 20-3 record in games when they scored five or more runs.
Detroit has a 60-40 record overall and a 28-22 record in road games. The Tigers have hit 125 total home runs to rank ninth in MLB play.
The teams meet Monday for the fourth time this season.
Top performers include Oneil Cruz, who has 16 home runs, 47 walks and 39 RBI while hitting .214 for the Pirates. Tommy Pham is 12 for 37 with two doubles, two home runs and five RBI over the past 10 games.
Riley Greene leads the Tigers with 47 extra base hits (21 doubles, a triple and 25 home runs). Colt Keith is 8 for 30 with two doubles, two home runs and four RBI over the last 10 games.
Top cappers are loving Pittsburgh in this situation.
- Don Shapiro, Gambling911.com
