Twins vs. Tigers Pick
Which AL Central team will pick up the opening game of the weekend series when the Detroit Tigers host the Minnesota Twins at 7:10PM ET?
According to oddsmakers at BetDSI, the Tigers are favored at home, as they are getting odds of -120 to win. The Twins are listed with a money line of +100 to prevail, while the over/under total has been set at 10.5 runs. Of the nine meetings this season, Detroit has won six of them.
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The pitching matchup tonight has Kyle Gibson (6-9, 6.03 ERA) on the mound for the Twins to face Anibal Sanchez (3-2, 6.62) of the Tigers. Gibson has allowed at least three runs in his last four starts and has struggled most of the season. He has 66 strikeouts and 47 walks this year with a 1.71 WHIP. Sanchez had a really poor outing in his last start, allowing eight runs in three innings while giving up five home runs. He has 61 strikeouts and 20 walks this season with a 1.59 WHIP.
The Twins come into this series hot, winning their last five games, including a four-game sweep of the Brewers. Minnesota is 57-56 overall and 30-23 on the road. The Twins are putting up 4.58 runs per game this season while allowing 5.07 per contest. Minnesota is being led by Miguel Sano, who has 25 home runs and 72 RBI. Brian Dozier has added 22 doubles, 22 home runs and 62 RBI.
Detroit has lost five of its last six entering this weekend. The Tigers are now 52-62 overall and 28-26 at home. Detroit is posting 4.80 runs per game this season while allowing 5.06 per contest. The Tigers are being led by Justin Upton, who has 32 doubles, 21 home runs and 78 RBI. Nicholas Castellanos has added 20 doubles, 16 home runs and 65 RBI.
This is a tough call, as both pitchers are a mess most of the time. I give the edge to the Twins tonight because they come into the weekend looking really good. The Tigers had a nice burst against Pittsburgh on Wednesday, but their bats have been pretty quiet all week. Both starters won’t get deep, so the game comes down to the bullpen. I like the Minnesota pen more than Detroit’s.
MLB DAILY PREDICTION: MINNESOTA TWINS +100