Detroit Tigers vs. Tampa Bay Rays Prediction: Can Drew Hutchinson and the Tigers Get Hot Early?

Detroit Tigers vs. Tampa Bay Rays Prediction: Can Drew Hutchinson and the Tigers Get Hot Early?

Well, in a depressing fashion, our two-unit max play from yesterday was postponed, which is a shame because I loved that play. However, we have another full slate of baseball tonight and lots more action to bet on. The two-unit play for tonight brings us to Detroit, where the Tigers and Rays open a four-game series from Comerica Park. The Rays enter this game on a bit of a skid, as they are 2-3 over their last five, and the offense hasn't quite produced recently. The Tigers are in a similar boat, as they are 1-4 over their last five and have also had a stagnant offense recently. Both clubs could use a win in the opener, but I'm eyeing the first-half line instead. Let's dive into my prediction, pick, and odds for the Detriot Tigers vs Tampa Bay Rays game.

Detriot Tigers vs Tampa Bay Rays Start Time, Where to Watch, and Odds

Date: August 4, 2022

Game Time: 7:10 pm ET

Where to Watch: FS1

Click Here for Tigers vs Rays Odds

Tigers vs Rays Line Movement

Detriot Tigers vs Tampa Bay Rays Prediction

Jordan Springs takes the mound for the Rays tonight. Springs is 3-3 with a 2.7 ERA. Springs has a three-pitch arsenal of a four-seamer (40%), slider (26%), and changeup (34%). He uses his upstairs fastball to get a lot of flyouts, which is his primary method of getting outs on balls in play. Springs started the year in the bullpen and opened a few games but has since been moved to the starting role. Springs did much better out of the bullpen but hasn't been horrible starting on the mound. As a reliever, Springs allowed a .121 opponent batting average with a .316 OPS. As a starter, Springs has allowed a .253 batting average and .734 OPS. Tonight, Springs will face a team that has had most of their limited success against left-handed pitching.

The Tigers are not a great club this season, but one thing they have done well is hit lefties. The Tigers are 30-48 this season when facing right-handed starting pitchers and 12-16 against left-handed starters. This is a pretty dramatic split when you consider that the Tigers, who sit at 42-64, would be nearly .500 if they played every game against a starting left-handed pitcher. The numbers aren't just in their wins, though. On the season, the Tigers are batting .266 with 4.56 runs per nine innings against lefties. Conversely, they are batting .210 with 2.87 runs per nine innings against righties. This is a pretty significant split, and it is enough to convince me they can have a decent night against Springs.

Drew Hutchinson is starting for the Tigers, and he is 1-4 with a 4.53 ERA. Like Springs, Hutchinson pitched out of the bullpen to start the season but has since taken the starting role. Despite a higher ERA 1-4 record as a starter, Hutchinson has a 6-1 first-five record as a starter this season. Part of this is because he has gotten good run support, but also because he tends to fall apart in the sixth and seventh inning. He's had good outings as a starter, but if he makes it to the sixth and seventh inning, he starts to get shelled. The most recent example is his last outing, when he pitched five excellent innings against the Blue Jays on the road, only allowing one run, then gave up four runs in the sixth. He cashed the first-five line in that game, despite the Tigers losing the full game.

The Tigers have been blistering left-handed pitching this season, and the Rays are 22-28 at covering the -.5 line in the first half on the road this season. Hutchinson has a 6-1 first-half record as a starter, and I like the Tigers to be tied or winning against another southpaw pitcher tonight at great odds.

Detriot Tigers vs Tampa Bay Rays Pick

2U Play: Tigers F5 +.5 @ +105 (Bet $100 to win $105)

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