Detroit Tigers vs. New York Yankees Prediction: Will the Yankees Bats Wake Up?

Detroit Tigers vs. New York Yankees Prediction: Will the Yankees Bats Wake Up?

It hasn't been a great start to the season for the New York Yankees. I'm not panicking and you shouldn't be either. We're just two weeks into the season. The Braves, for example, went .500 through the first 90+ games and won the World Series.

Patience.

Anyway, the Yankees will send out Gerrit Cole to the mound for his third start of the season. He's allowed three long balls in two games and his strikeout numbers are weak with just nine in 9.2 innings. However, a change of scenery, away from Yankee Stadium might help his case going up against the Detroit Tigers.

Here are our picks, predictions, and odds for the first game of the series between the New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers.

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Tigers vs. Yankees Start Time, Where to Watch, and Odds

• Date: April 13, 2022
• Game Time: 7:05 pm ET
• Where to Watch: BSDET, YESS

Click Here for Tigers vs. Yankees Odds

Tigers vs. Yankees Injury Report

Yankees

None of Importance

Tigers

Out: SS Javier Baez (Thumb), OF Derek Hill (Hamstring)

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Tigers vs. Yankees Line Movement

Tigers vs. Yankees Prediction

Dating back to last season, Gerrit Cole has an xFIP of 3.20 with 33.8% strikeouts and 6% walks. That's ace material, but so far, to start 2022, Cole hasn't looked like an ace. He's instead allowed three home runs and has just nine strikeouts in 9.2 innings.

But maybe leaving New York is what Cole needs. He's allowed a .182 ISO to lefties and rarely gets lefties to hit ground balls. The Tigers will have six lefties in the lineup but the only true threat for the Tigers will be Austin Meadows, who has a .290 ISO and wOBA of .374 against righties dating back to last season. Meadows, along with the rest of the Tigers, have struggled to hit early this season.

Meanwhile, Tyler Alexander will get the call for the Tigers. The lefty pitcher has a 4.95 xFIP dating back to last season with just 19.6% strikeouts. Alexander has allowed a .323 wOBA and ISO of .189 but has been super dominant against lefties, holding them to a .252 wOBA and ISO of .088.

New York has faced Alexander 30 times with the roster and has just struck out two times in those 30 plate appearances. If the Yankees can just put the ball in play, those right-handed sluggers could see a couple of home runs go over the fence against the Tigers and Alexander.

The projected lineup for the Yankees has a .210 ISO with a .349 wOBA. Aaron Hicks, Aaron Judge, Anthony Rizzo, Giancarlo Stanton, and Josh Donaldson have all dominated lefties dating back to last season with high wOBA and high ISO numbers.

Take the Yankees to win the first five innings in tonight's game.

Detroit Tigers vs. New York Yankees Pick

• Yankees -.5 (-125) (Bet $125 to Win $100)

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