Pirates vs. Tigers Game 1 Odds & Picks: Bet Detroit to Win Big
Duane Burleson/Getty Images. Pictured: Michael Pineda
- The Tigers are favored in the opener of a doubleheader on Wednesday against the Pirates.
- Michael Pineda will start for Detroit, while Dillon Peters will open for Pirates right-hander Bryse Wilson.
- Jules Posner breaks down the matchup and makes his betting pick below.
Pirates vs. Tigers Odds
| Pirates Odds | +125 |
| Tigers Odds | -145 |
| Over/Under | 7.5 (-115 / -105) |
| Time | 1:10 p.m. ET |
| TV | MLB.TV |
| Odds via DraftKings. Get up-to-the-minute MLB odds here. | |
After a rain out Tuesday night, the Pittsburgh Pirates will take on the Detroit Tigers in an interleague doubleheader.
Game 1 will be the makeup portion of the day's festivities, with a slight wrinkle. The Pirates have announced Dillon Peters will make the start and will presumably be followed by Bryse Wilson, as was the case Wilson's turn in the rotation was last up.
Michael Pineda will be making his third start for the Detroit Tigers, and he's just a regular starter. Nothing weird there. The Tigers enter today with a 7-14 record, having dropped seven of their last nine games.
The Pirates are 9-13 and have lost five of their last six games.
Who's excited for two of these games?!
Peters-to-Wilson Combo Showed Promise
On the injury front, the Pirates will still be without shortstop Kevin Newman, who has been a solid offensive contributor for them. Since he's been on the injured list, the Pirates have only won one of their last five games.
The Pirates have been the worst team in terms of wRC+ on the road against right-handed pitching this season and the third worst on the road in general. This game is on the road.
Peters survived his opening shift in Milwaukee last Wednesday where he was unscored upon for two innings. He walked one and didn't strike anyone out, but he safely passed the baton to Wilson.
Wilson then threw four scoreless innings of bulk work before handing things over to the bullpen, which promptly blew a 1-0 lead. The Pirates went on to lose 3-1, but the Peters/Wilson combo seemed pretty effective.
However, the bullpen has been an issue for the Pirates this season as they have the fifth highest ERA and the seventh highest FIP as a unit in 2022.
Tigers Pitching Has Potential To Shut Pirates Down
Pineda threw five scoreless innings at home in his Tiger debut against the Yankees. If he can approach that level of production and turn things over to an underrated Tigers bullpen, it could be lights out for the Pirates.
Detroit's relief corps has the lowest staff ERA and the fourth-lowest FIP in MLB, and I am only learning that right now as I write this. Sounds pretty good.
The Tigers are also pretty much at full strength, depending on how you feel about Victor Reyes.
Despite Detroit's record, its offense has actually been pretty solid at home. The Tigers have a wRC+ over 100 at home, at home against left-handed pitching and at home against right-handed pitching. They will be facing pitchers who throw with one of those two hands on Wednesday, I'm sure of it.
Pirates-Tigers Pick
If the Peters/Wilson combination is as effective as they were in their last turn, they could hold the Tigers' offense at bay.
If Pineda can turn in anything close to his last home start and turn things over to the bullpen, that should hold the Pirates offense to their normal amounts of production, which is minimal.
The best value in this matchup is the Tigers run line. Of Detroit's four home wins this season, three have been by at least two runs.
Risk it for the biscuit is what I would say if I was lame, but I'm not. Just take the run line.
Pick: Tigers -1.5 (+130)
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