This is the opener of a four-game series in Detroit between the Tigers and visiting Toronto Blue Jays.
Eric Lauer is scheduled to pitch for Toronto while Reese Olson is slated to start for Detroit.
Blue Jays at Tigers prediction, preview
Eric Lauer was getting lit up during the 2023 season, went to Korea for a season, and is now spicy like a bowl of Tteokbokki. The ERA is 2.8 with a 27.1% strikeout rate despite averaging 91.8 mph on the fastball. The crazy thing is that the flyball rate is 51.9% and he’s been getting hit hard, as the average exit velocity is 91.2 mph and the hard hit rate is 44.6%. Lauer has been getting a little lucky with a .240 BABIP. As a result, the FIP is higher at 3.34, but still a very good number. The biggest thing for Lauer has been the pinpoint control. He’s only walked 16 batters and allowed seven home runs.
Lauer has been much better at home, as the K-BB% is 10% better while the FIP is 2.38. Interestingly, Lauer has been deadly against righties with a 23.1% K-BB%, but six of the seven home runs have come off their bats.
Lauer has pitched at least six innings twice, with both coming in the last three outings. He has not allowed more than three earned runs in any start. Lauer faced Detroit back in May, going three innings, striking out five and allowing an earned run on three hits.
Against left-handed pitching, the Tigers have struck out at the 20th-highest rate while having the sixth-best ISO. The wOBA is fourth-best in MLB.
Reese Olson has been really good this season. Like really, really good. Through 63 innings, the ERA is 2.71 while the FIP is 3.06. The strikeout rate is a respectable 23.6% and the walk rate is a tad high at 8.9%, but he’s allowed only three home runs. The barrel rate is 6.4% but the hard hit rate is 45% while the average exit velocity is 91.4 mph. He is keeping the ball down, as the ground ball rate is 44.7% while the fly ball rate is 32.9%.
Olson has been split neutral.
Olson has gone at least six innings three times in 12 starts. He’s allowed more than three earned runs in a start just once. He faced the Blue Jays four starts ago in Toronto, going six innings, striking out six and walking one without allowing an earned run.
The Blue Jays have struck out at the 30th-highest rate against right-handed pitching while being 14th in ISO. The wOBA is seventh-best.
As for bullpens, Toronto has the 10th-lowest FIP while Detroit has the 18th-lowest.
Blue Jays at Tigers pick, best bet
Looks like an old-fashioned pitcher’s duel, feels like an old fashioned pitcher’s duel and smells like an old-fashioned pitcher’s-duel.
