Entering this season, the Tigers and Orioles each had their eyes on the postseason (and even the World Series). What a difference two months has made for both clubs. Detroit, at 44-24, has the best record in baseball. Baltimore, at 26-39, finds itself at the bottom of the AL East division. Tonight, these squads will meet in the Charm City for the second of three contests this week. Below, I’ve laid out my preview, prediction, and best bet for this Wednesday night matchup between the Tigers and Orioles.
The Orioles enter tonight as favorites (-131) over the Tigers, with the over/under set at nine runs. Let’s break down which side has the edge on DraftKings Sportsbook going into Wednesday’s contest.
Tigers at Orioles prediction, preview
For the O’s, it’ll be staff ace Zach Eflin toeing the slab. It’s been an injury-plagued season for the veteran, who missed most of April due to a lat strain. Since returning on May 11th, the right-hander has pitched to a 5.40 ERA over five starts. However, he’s only surrendered three earned runs over his last 13.0 innings of work (2.08 ERA). That’s more in line with what we’ve seen in the past from Eflin. Since 2022, the 31-year-old has notched an ERA of 3.72 and a WHIP of 1.09.
Unfortunately for the Orioles, tonight’s opponent is no pushover. The Tigers are currently averaging 4.85 runs scored per game, the sixth-highest mark in baseball. Eight different regulars in Detroit’s lineup currently have a wRC+ of 100 or greater (above-average). That includes several standouts, such as Spencer Torkelson (136 wRC+), Riley Greene (132 wRC+) and offseason acquisition Gleyber Torres (127 wRC+). However, the Tigers only have the 20th-best batting average against right-handed pitchers this season (.245). Keeping that in mind, Eflin could pose a major threat to Detroit on Wednesday.
Even if Baltimore slows down this lineup, the Tigers have a stellar arm of their own taking the mound. Former first overall draft pick Casey Mize has taken some time to find his groove in the major leagues. A bad combination of injuries and inconsistency have often held the right-hander back throughout his five-year career. However, it appears that the 28-year-old is finally living up to his potential. Through ten appearances this season, Mize has accounted for a 2.91 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 48 strikeouts. The only caveat? Detroit’s newest ace has coughed up five runs over his previous eight innings of work (5.63 ERA). He’ll attempt to silence an Orioles offense that’s scored the fifth-fewest runs in baseball since May 28th (40). In comparison, the Tigers rank 19th during that stretch (46).
Tigers at Orioles pick, best bet
Best Bet: Tigers ML (+107)
In spite of their records, tonight’s opponents aren’t far apart in terms of talent. Still, the Tigers enter Wednesday with more reason for optimism. Both Eflin and Mize have shown they can deliver against quality lineups. However, the Orioles have looked lost at the plate all season. In a battle between two evenly matched arms, I’ll back Detroit’s deeper lineup at plus money.
