The Detroit Tigers enter the second game of their home series with the Toronto Blue Jays riding a five-game losing streak and looking to snap the skid with a win on Friday.
Toronto Blue Jays (-135, 8.5) vs. Detroit Tigers
Getting to the starting rotation nearly on the mound for the Tigers is Matt Manning, who has a 4.88 ERA that is slightly misleading given his 4.18 fielding independent with a career-best 7.5 strikeouts per nine innings while giving up just one home run per nine innings.
Manning faces a Blue Jays lineup that entered the series ranked 27th in the league in runs per game and tied for 23rd in home runs against right-handed pitchers, which Manning happens to be.
The Tigers entered the series ranked 28th in home runs against right-handed pitchers and Blue Jays starter Alex Manoah is a right-handed pitcher but comes in with big question marks.
Manoah has looked like the pitcher that made the 2022 All-Star team the past two starts with just five total hits and three runs allowed in that span, all of which were unearned but still has an issue allowing the deep ball, giving up three home runs through his three starts in 2024.
While Manoah has a 3.00 ERA this season at the MLB level, his fielding independent is 4.69 and he had an 8.69 ERA at the minor league level.
Even if Manoah can continue his resurgence, the Blue Jays’ bullpen entered the series ranked 28th among MLB teams in ERA and last in bullpen fielding independent. The Tigers bullpen entered ranked ninth in ERA and 14th in fielding independent.
With Manoah having a 5.38 ERA and 5.79 fielding independent since the 2023 season began and the Blue Jays’ bullpen and lineup around him both struggling, the Tigers will get a much-needed win on Friday.
The Play: Tigers +114
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