Pirates vs Tigers Game 1 Prediction & Best Bets (5/29): Will Skubal Spin Another Gem?

The Pittsburgh Pirates and Detroit Tigers’ game was postponed yesterday due to bad weather, so they are scheduled to play two games today. Paul Skenes will pitch in the second game. However, the opening game will feature Tarik Skubal, the leading contender for the AL Cy Young Award.

The Tigers (26-27), who suffered a loss in 14 out of 19 games, managed to secure a crucial series victory over the weekend by winning three out of four matches against the Toronto Blue Jays at home. If they manage to win today’s doubleheader, they will regain a winning record above .500.

The Pirates (25-29) are also fresh off a weekend series victory, having won two out of three matches at home against the Atlanta Braves. Pittsburgh has managed to win six out of ten games since they hit a season-low of six games below .500.

A duel between Skenes and Skubal would attract a lot of attention. However, the Pirates have decided to reserve Skenes for the second game. For the opener, they’ve chosen to give the ball to another promising rookie, Jared Jones.

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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

  • Right-Handed Pitcher Jared Jones of the Pittsburgh Pirates: 10 starts, 3-4 record, 3.05 Earned Run Average.
  • Left-handed pitcher Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers has made 10 starts with a record of 6-1 and an ERA of 2.25.

Pittsburgh Pirates vs Detroit Tigers Betting Analysis

Skubal experienced his first defeat of the season last Wednesday, surrendering four runs, six hits, and two walks in five innings, resulting in an 8-3 loss at Kansas City.

This season, the Tigers hold a 7-3 record in Skubal’s starts, with a 4-1 record at home. Despite the Pirates’ superior performance against LHP compared to RHP, the forecast suggests the Tigers could improve their record this afternoon.

Season Batting Splits for the Pittsburgh Pirates

  • vs LHP: .238 BA
  • vs RHP: .224 BA
  • Against left-handed pitcher (LHP) starters in 21 games, they recorded a .237 batting average (BA) and scored an average of 4.43 runs per game.
  • Against right-handed pitcher starters in 33 games, they have a .223 batting average and score 3.67 runs per game.

Skubal is favored for the AL Cy Young award due to his generally exceptional performance. Even when his pitching hasn’t been up to par, he has effectively managed to recover.

Before his most recent start, he had conceded four runs in his first two starts of the season. However, in the two subsequent starts, he gave up no runs, just five hits, and two walks over 11 innings.

Skenes might be the most prominent recent addition to Pittsburgh’s rotation, but Jones is also making a strong case for himself in the NL Rookie of the Year race. He has consistently performed well, never allowing more than three runs in any game. Currently, he ranks among the top 20 in MLB for quality starts, strikeouts, strikeouts per nine innings, and WHIP.

He has had four starts this month, recording 1 win and 1 loss, with a 2.88 ERA. He has allowed 21 hits, nine runs (eight of which were earned), five walks and has struck out 26 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’m partial to Skubal and the Tigers in this situation, but the moneyline is overly saturated and the run line doesn’t attract me much for a game that could be a close call. Therefore, I’m centering my attention on a few Jones props. He has achieved seven or more strikeouts in seven games, four of which were away games, and has never had less than seven strikeouts in back-to-back games. In addition, he has consistently lasted at least six innings in his four games this month, a trend I expect to carry on against the Tigers.

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More MLB Betting Information

How to Bet on Major League Baseball in 2024

Betting on Major League Baseball can be done in several ways, similar to the methods used in the NFL, NBA, and NHL. The primary methods include moneyline and spread betting, and over/under betting.

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.

Where to Bet on MLB

Many top online sportsbooks offer a wide variety of MLB odds throughout the season.

In addition to being able to make daily MLB picks on games from Opening Day until the final game of the Fall Classic, you can also bet on MLB MVP odds, Cy Young Award odds, and MLB Rookie of the Year odds, as well as World Series odds.

Numerous sportsbooks are suitable for betting on baseball, however, we have reviewed and strongly endorse the following:

  • BetDSI (Review)
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  • BetUS (Review)
  • Bovada (Review)
  • Everygame (Review)
  • MyBookie (Review)

Should you not have an account with a book on this list, our reviews can assist you in determining whether it merits your interest and betting funds.

Interested in Learning More About Betting on Baseball?

If you are new to baseball betting or wish to become more familiar with the intricacies of placing MLB bets, check out our MLB betting guide.

  • MLB Betting Guide: How to Bet on Baseball in 2024

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