The Detroit Tigers host the Tampa Bay Rays on July 7, 2025. First pitch from Comerica Park is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. ET; the game will be broadcast on FS1.
Find my MLB betting preview and Rays vs Tigers prediction below, as well as probable pitchers, betting trends, injury reports and more.
My Rays vs Tigers Prediction
- Rays vs Tigers pick: Rays ML (Play to -130)
My Rays vs Tigers best bet is Rays moneyline. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live MLB odds page.
Rays vs Tigers Odds
| Rays Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +135 | 9 -105 / -115 | -135 |
| Tigers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -160 | 9 -105 / -115 | +110 |
Rays vs Tigers Projected Starting Pitchers
| Shane Baz (TB) | Stat | Keider Montero (DET) |
|---|---|---|
| 8-3 | W-L | 3-1 |
| 0.8 | fWAR (FanGraphs) | -0.4 |
| 4.33/3.81 | ERA /xERA | 4.02/4.16 |
| 4.49/3.80 | FIP / xFIP | 5,43/4.64 |
| 1.25 | WHIP | 1.39 |
| 2.7 | K-BB% | 2.0 |
| 50.7% | GB% | 44.6% |
| 106 | Stuff+ | 96 |
| 98 | Location+ | 98 |
Sean Paul’s Rays vs Tigers Preview
Detroit Tigers Betting Preview: Tigers Bringing Out the Claws
Following yet another brilliant outing from Tarik Skubal, the Tigers will look for a similar gem from Keider Montero, who looks on track to make this start after a stint in the minors.
Montero had his outing skipped this weekend at Triple-A, so the tea leaves tell us he's likely to pitch big innings on Monday.
The Tigers can opt for an opener — like Tyler Holton, which would force the Rays to either shift their lineup by moving down lefty bats, such as Brandon Lowe — or straight up start Montero. Given the Tigers' history, I'll guess an opener takes the first inning.
Montero last pitched in the bigs about three walks ago and had to wait the requisite 15 days after being optioned. Montero has a 4.02 ERA and 4.16 FIP, but his 5.43 xERA and 4.64 xFIP signal some pretty severe regression.
Plus, Montero struggled once he got demoted, posting a 5.87 ERA through 23 innings in Toledo.
The 24-year-old righty generates loads of soft contact, ranking in the 90th percentile in hard-hit rate and 87th in average exit velocity. Montero has a real issue putting hitters away, as he ranks in the 10th percentile in strikeout rate and 15th in whiff rate.
That's a real issue at the big league level, especially against a team like the Rays, who seldom strike out to begin with. All it takes is Montero dealing with unlucky BABIP results to derail his outing.
Detroit boasts one of the best offensive units in the MLB. It has a dazzling 129 wRC+ since June 15, and that’s counting a brutal series against the Guardians in which they scored three runs in two games.
If an opposing team is aiming to outslug the Tigers, that probably won’t happen. They rank second in the MLB with a .223 isolated power and have 31 home runs in their past 19 games.
Leading that charge is Riley Greene, who drilled seven homers in those 19 games, and Gleyber Torres, whose plate patience and contact-hitting approach sets the table.
You won’t find a pair of different offenses than the Rays and Tigers. Both are elite, but operate in extremely different ways.
Tampa Bay Rays Betting Preview: Striking Out the Doubt
I was close to being out on Shane Baz being a top-of-the-line starter idea. However, in Baz's past two outings, he flashed the elite strikeout stuff. He held the Athletics and Royals to three total runs in 15 innings, while punching out 9+ batters in each game.
Baz has a 4.33 ERA with a 3.81 xERA and 4.49 FIP, but I think he has more upside than that. If Baz can continue limiting the walks as he did in his last outings, the sky is the limit.
Now, back to my previous point about the Rays' offense being elite but different than the Tigers. The Rays led the MLB with a 134 wRC+ since June 15, while sitting 10th in ISO and 12th in home runs.
On the flip side, the Rays lead the league with a .299 average and rank third with 20 stolen bases, compared to Detroit's .266 average and three stolen bases.
Tampa Bay pushes the envelope at every turn. Jose Caballero leads the big leagues in steals, while Chandler Simpson is the fastest player in the sport. If those two can reach first base, they have a direct path to scoring position quickly.
It's not like the Rays are some archaic team that doesn't have power, though. To combine the best base-stealing approach with a top-10 power offense is what makes this Tampa Bay offense a legitimate threat.
The power comes from the Yandy Diaz, Junior Caminero and Lowe. Diaz has re-discovered his power in his last 20 games, cracking four homers, while Caminero and Lowe each have 19+ homers.
Of note, Lowe left Sunday's game early with left side soreness, so we'll see if he plays on Monday.
Rays vs Tigers Prediction, Betting Analysis
I'm rolling with Tampa Bay here. One pitcher in Baz is trending in an upward direction, while Montero is due for regression.
Plus, the Rays' offense provides a more dynamic approach than the Tigers'.
There's no worse plan for a pitcher than hoping to get the Rays to hit into soft contact. They might hit into some, but their blazing speed could turn a soft ground ball into a runner in scoring position with ease.
Pick: Rays ML (Play to -130)
Moneyline
I like the Rays here on the moneyline.
Run Line (Spread)
I don't have a play on the spread/run line.
Over/Under
I don't have a play on the total.
