From Comerica Park in Detroit, we have the Red Sox and Tigers facing off in an AL matchup. The Red Sox are 3rd in the AL East with a record of 70-65, while the Tigers are 4th in the AL Central at 68-68. Detroit comes into the game having lost two in a row, while the Red Sox have won their last two.
The over/under line for Saturday's game is currently at 7.5 runs, and the Tigers are favored on the money line, with their odds sitting at -158. Looking at the starting pitching matchup, Nick Pivetta is going for the Red Sox, while the Tigers have Tarik Skubal on the mound. On TV, this one is being carried by BSDET.
Boston vs. Detroit Matchup At A Glance
- Teams: Red Sox at Tigers
- Where: Comerica Park Detroit
- Date: Saturday, August 31st
- Betting Odds DET -158 | BOS +133 O/U 7.5
Red Sox vs Tigers Last Game Recap
Boston rallied for three runs in the 10th inning in the most recent game of this Red Sox vs. Tigers series. The Red Sox scored one run in the first inning but didn't score another run until putting up three in the top of the 10th, picking up a 7-5 win. Heading into the game, the Red Sox were favored at -120 on the money line.
Tanner Houck started for the Red Sox and went six innings, giving up three hits and striking out six. He didn't give up a run in the game but did finish with two walks. Kenley Jansen got the win out of the bullpen, and Chris Martin got the save.
Casey Mize started for the Tigers, giving up four earned runs in six innings of work. He finished the game with four strikeouts but allowed one home run. Shelby Miller took the loss out of the bullpen.
Red Sox Preview
On the road, the Red Sox have a 39-27 record straight up and a 39-27 record against the run line. They have covered the run line in four straight games and have an average run margin of +0.9. As the underdog, they are 24-22 straight up and 3-0 against the run line in their last three games.
Overall, Boston is 70-65 and 18-18 in AL East games, putting them nine games behind the division leader. This season, their games have averaged 9.6 runs, and their over/under record is 70-58. The Red Sox have an overall series record of 21-16-6 heading into today's game vs. the Tigers.
Right-hander Nick Pivetta gets the start for the Red Sox today as he faces the Tigers on the road. Pivetta has made 20 starts this season and has a record of 5-9 with an ERA of 4.61. So far, he has turned in seven quality starts and is averaging 10.91 strikeouts per nine innings. Pivetta's WHIP for the season is currently 1.13. In his last outing, he finished with a no-decision, giving up five earned runs in five innings of work. Before that, he had given up two earned runs or fewer in three straight outings.
So far this season, the Red Sox offense has been one of the league's best, averaging 4.9 runs per game (6th) and batting a collective .258 (3rd). They have been especially good on the road, averaging 5.3 runs per contest. As a team, they are also near the top of the league in home runs, and they have the best team BABIP in the MLB. Boston is also one of the league's best teams at avoiding strikeouts, as they are 25th in the league in strikeouts per game.
Jarren Duran has been swinging the bat well of late, going 10/30 in his last eight games with three homers. For the season, he is batting .295 with 21 homers. Rafael Devers has also been a big power threat for the Red Sox, as he is 8th in the league with 28 homers and is batting .287 for the season.
Tigers Preview
Overall, the Tigers have a 68-68 record and are 9.5 games behind the Guardians in the AL Central. They have lost two straight games, including the first game of this series vs. the Red Sox. Detroit's series record this season is 19-19-5, and they have won two straight series.
When favored, the Tigers have a 30-22 straight-up record, but they are 28-39 against the run line at home. As underdogs, they have a 53-31 run line record. The Tigers' games this season have averaged 8.4 runs, and their over/under record is 69-63. The O/U percentage for their games with totals higher than today's line of 7.5 runs is 61.0%.
Tarik Skubal gets the start for the Tigers today and comes in with a record of 15-4 and an ERA of 2.58. Looking at his overall numbers, Skubal has made 26 starts, and opponents are batting .202 this season. Skubal has been pitching well lately, as he has won his last three starts. In his most recent outing, he went five innings, giving up three earned runs, and picking up the win. Against the Red Sox today, he will look to continue his strong pitching and keep the ball in the park, as he has allowed 13 homers at home compared to eight on the road.
Currently, the Tigers are averaging 4.2 runs per game, which is 20th in the league. This is a team that has been a bit below average in most offensive categories, including batting average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage. Detroit has also been one of the worst teams in the league at drawing walks.
Riley Greene has been the Tigers' top power threat this season, as his 19 homers are the best on the team. He is also leading the club with 56 RBIs. Matt Vierling is 2nd on the team with 15 homers and is batting .260 for the season. Zach McKinstry is on a 10-game hitting streak and is batting .550 over his last seven games.
Red Sox vs. Tigers Prediction: Tigers ML -158
With the Tigers being at home, we like them to pick up the win over the Red Sox. The payout for a Tigers win is -158, and with our predicted score being 6-5, we would recommend taking the Tigers on the money line.
Looking at the starting pitchers, Tarik Skubal has a better chance of picking up a win than Nick Pivetta. Skubal is projected to finish with six strikeouts compared to Pivetta's six. At the plate, the Tigers are projected to finish with nine hits compared to the Red Sox with nine.
