Pittsburgh Pirates vs Detroit Tigers Odds
| Pirates Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline | Total | Run Line |
+125 | 6.5 -125o / +105u | +1.5 -180 |
| Tigers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Moneyline | Total | Run Line |
-150 | 6.5 -125o / +105u | -1.5 +150 |
Let's dive into the Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Detroit Tigers odds and make a prediction in our MLB betting preview for Wednesday, May 29.
The Pittsburgh Pirates look to build on the momentum from their weekend series victory over the Atlanta Braves as they travel to the Motor City to face the Detroit Tigers.
The Tigers are coming off one of the wildest games of the season, as they outlasted the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday in a matchup featuring 25 combined runs.
Editor's Note: The Pirates vs Tigers game scheduled for Tuesday was postponed due to inclement weather. The game will be made up as part of a straight doubleheader on Wednesday, with Game 1 starting at 12:40 p.m. ET. Tuesday's probable pitchers — Jared Jones vs Tarik Skubal — will start Game 1.
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pirates have won four consecutive series openers, and they'll try to keep that streak alive this evening.
Pittsburgh enters tonight's opener of this quick two-game set owning a 25-29 record, while coming off wins in six of its last 10 games.
The Pirates grabbed the first two games at PNC Park against the Braves this past weekend before dropping the finale on Sunday, 8-1.
Jared Jones has allowed three earned runs in each of his last three starts for Pittsburgh. The Pirates squandered a 5-0 lead in his last outing in a 9-5 extra-innings loss to the Giants.
Jones has drilled the over on his strikeout prop in seven of 10 starts, including racking up seven strikeouts or more in three home outings.
Pittsburgh looks to turn around a recent skid against left-handed starting pitchers. It's posted a 1-5 record in the last six opportunities, including three straight losses at PNC Park.
Jones was an under machine to start 2024 by cashing in six of his first seven starts. However, in his last three starts, the Pittsburgh right-hander has hit the over.
The Pirates and Tigers split a two-game series at PNC Park in early April, as Pittsburgh blew a 3-1 lead in the ninth inning of a 5-3 loss in the finale.
Detroit Tigers
The Tigers are creeping closer towards the .500 mark after winning the final three contests of their four-game home series against the Blue Jays.
Detroit closed out the series with a crazy 14-11 win over Toronto, as the Tigers blew an early 5-0 lead and trailed 11-9 headed to the bottom of the eighth.
The Tigers rallied to tie the game with two runs, then walked it off on Matt Vierling's three-run homer in the bottom of the ninth to snap a six-game slide in series finales.
Detroit sends its ace to the mound tonight as Tarik Skubal seeks his seventh win of the season. Skubal is coming off his worst start of 2024 in an 8-3 setback at Kansas City. The southpaw allowed four earned runs and six hits in five innings in that outing.
Skubal is currently the American League Cy Young favorite at several sportsbooks, as he leads the AL in WHIP at 0.85 and is tied for second in MLB in that category.
Considering how low Skubal's ERA is (2.25), the Tigers are 8-1 to the over in his last nine starts. Detroit has scored four runs or more seven times during this stretch.
From a strikeout prop standpoint, Skubal is 5-5 this season, although four of those unders came on 6.5 totals when he struck out six batters.
Tonight's strikeout total for Skubal is set at 7.5.
Four of the last five left-handed pitchers to face the Pirates have hit the over on their strikeout prop.
Pirates vs Tigers
Betting Pick & Prediction
Since Detroit started the season at 5-0, they haven't won four straight games. The Tigers will likely get a better start from Skubal after he struggled at Kansas City, but Pittsburgh has played well lately.
One number that's hard to ignore is how well the Pirates have played in series openers recently, and Jones is listed at his highest underdog spot of 2024.
Let's take the Pirates as a road underdog to end the Tigers' winning streak.
Pick: Pirates +136 (Play to +130)
