Sep 7, 1:40pm | 4 min read

Detroit Tigers vs. Minnesota Twins: MLB Over/Under Picks

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MLB handicapper Matt Zylbert is back with his daily over/under pick, this time targeting the Detroit Tigers vs. Minnesota Twins game

ANALYSIS

Detroit Tigers at Minnesota Twins

Over/Under: 9

First pitch: 2:10 p.m. ET

Probable pitchers: Michael Fulmer (0-0, 7.27 ERA) vs. Michael Pineda (0-0, 3.00 ERA)

Detroit Tigers vs. Minnesota Twins Predictions

An over/under of 9 won’t be commonplace sooner than later for these two starters as they seek to each continue a comeback.

Michael Pineda just returned from serving his PEDs-related suspension that started last season. In his first outing in nearly a full calendar year, the results couldn’t have been better than what Minnesota was hoping for. The 6-foot-7 Dominican right-hander didn’t showcase his signature high strikeout rate but he did ultimately produce a quality start against a real slugging Chicago White Sox lineup.

Notably, Pineda’s velocity was actually up from a season ago and the usage of his slider was higher than ever, throwing 36 of them of his 81 pitches. Pineda still has nasty stuff and when you’re seeing that slider from a pitcher with his enormous frame, there’s not much that can be done. I know he can continue his re-emergence.

As for the other probable — well, really “probables” — it’s Michael Fulmer, who is expected to take it the first time through the batting order for Detroit before paving way to his tag team partner Daniel Norris.

This is a pair the Tigers have received solid work from lately after Fulmer took some time adjusting to his new opener-type role. Norris, meanwhile, is used to this, having experience from piggybacking Drew VerHagen throughout last year, and is continuing to thrive in his fresh niche.

To further enhance Fulmer’s chances of getting things started out right, this is an afternoon assignment for the former American League Rookie of the Year. That’s important because of a distinct trend in which Fulmer has pitched much better during the daytime (3.33 ERA, 1.13 WHIP) than at night (4.51 ERA,1.30 WHIP).

Perhaps most important, being an early getaway day game, the Twins are electing to rest a couple of their key mashers today, specifically Nelson Cruz and Miguel Sano. The considerably-downgraded lineup only provides a boost for Detroit’s Fulmer-Norris pair and that’s key in effort of getting them to cover most of the affair.