The AL Central leading Detroit Tigers open a three game set against the Minnesota Twins tonight at Target Field in Minneapolis; first pitch in this evening’s game one clash is set for 8:10pm ET. The latest Friday MLB Free Picks and Odds from offshore bookmaker 5Dimes have the visiting Tigers listed as a -140 moneyline favorite ($140 wins $100) and the Over/Under set at nine runs (Under favored at -125 odds). The Twins are drawing a +130 moneyline to win their 30^th game of the season.

 

The Tigers dropped their third consecutive road series on Wednesday night with a 3-2 loss to the Royals at Kauffman Stadium. However, Detroit, now 36-28 overall, has won five of its last seven games and holds a 4.5 games lead in the AL Central standings.

 

Detroit will attempt to widen that gap tonight with four year veteran Rick Porcello on the mound. Porcello earned his third straight quality start and his third win of the season in his last outing as he held the Indians to three hits and one earned run over six innings in a 6-4 Tigers win.

 

For the season, Porcello is 3-3 with a 4.86 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and .261 batting average against. The New Jersey native is 1-3 with a 6.41 ERA in six road appearances (five starts).

 

The Twins, who are 15-15 at Target Field this year, will counter Porcello with left handed hurler Scott Diamond. Diamond has been unspectacular in 11 starts this season, compiling a 4-5 record, 5.19 ERA, and 1.52 WHIP. The last month has been particularly difficult for the Canadian, though.

 

Diamond has yielded 48 hits, 25 earned runs, and 10 free passes in his last six starts for a 7.80 ERA and 2.00 WHIP. However, Diamond’s history against the Tigers is a decent one. In seven career starts against Detroit, including two this season, Diamond is 2-2 with a 2.98 ERA.

 

Notable Trends: The Tigers are 2-8 in their last 10 games as a road favorite against a left handed pitcher.

 

 

Detroit Tigers -1.5 (+115), Over 9 (+105), -140 (Moneyline)

Minnesota Twins +1.5 (-135), Under 9 (-125), +130 (Moneyline)

 

Vegas Runner, Bryan Leonard and host Steve Fezzik discuss the current MLB replay system, with ideas on how to tweak it.