The Detroit Tigers look to continue their impressive start to the Major League Baseball season when they take on the Pittsburgh Pirates in matinee action today. The game is scheduled for a 1:35 p.m. start time and it will be televised live on MLB.tv from Pittsburgh. Currently the betting odds for the game have the Pirates listed as a small favorite to pick up the win.
Detroit is one of two teams in baseball to start the season with a 6-0 record, the other being division rival Kansas City. Both teams have scored a ton of runs this season and gotten solid pitching, ranking third and fourth in runs allowed to opponents through the first week of the season. The Tigers' 47 runs scored is the most in baseball as well.
Pittsburgh has stumbled out of the game, posting a 2-4 record after the opening week. This will be the home opener for Pittsburgh, though, as they opened up with each game away from home last week. Gerrit Cole will get the ball for the Pirates to start the home opener and the youngster will look to have a better outing today compared to his first start, which was a no decision against Cincinnati, but a game where he gave up three earned runs over five innings of work.
Current Tigers have only six plate appearances against Cole as Yoenis Cespedes and Ian Kinsler have gone a combined 1-of-6 against him.
Detroit sends Anibal Sanchez to the hill. Sanchez dominated the Twins in his first outing of the season, tossing 6 2/3 innings and allowing just three hits, striking out six, while not allowing a run. Sanchez is king of the forgotten guy for Detroit with their impressive rotation, but he certainly has top of the rotation type stuff and if he pitches well, the Tigers are a legitimate threat in the American League.
Current Pirates have had some success against Sanchez. Pedro Alvarez, Corey Hart and Neil Walker have all homered against him and the Pirates have a combined average of .297 in 74 plate appearances.
Today should be a great contest between two solid teams. Based on the lineups Victor Martinez will have the day off, but Pittsburgh and Detroit will still have pretty much their every day lineups on the field. Detroit's hitting, along with Sanchez being in solid form, will pick up the win today. And how often do we see the Tigers at plus money?
Free Pick: Tigers
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