The Yankees and Tigers play the third game of their three-game series on Wednesday, July 1.
New York is a -144 moneyline favorite, while Detroit is +119 on DraftKings Sportsbook. The game total is set at over/under 10 runs.
Let’s get into a pick and prediction for this Yankees vs. Tigers game.
Yankees vs. Tigers prediction, preview
The fall continues as New York loses its sixth straight game. Even Cam Schlittler, who’s fantastic on the mound, struggled early against Detroit. A 9-3 loss on Tuesday seals the series victory for the Tigers, and Wednesday’s bout will determine if it’s a sweep.
Bad news for the Yankees: if Schlittler can’t get it done, it’s unlikely Will Warren will either. The 27-year-old is a quality starter, holding a 3.75 ERA in his third MLB season, but he’s the Yankees’ fourth best starter right now and fifth when fully healthy. His best chance of success on Wednesday is to limit the Tigers rather than shut them out. He’s allowed five, two, two, and three earned runs over his four starts in June. These have totaled up to 19.2 innings, and he hasn’t lasted more than 5.2 frames in the month.
Detroit is in the bottom third for total runs scored and total hits this season, but the offense is alive in this series. The Tigers scored seven in the first game and nine in the second matchup. Any resemblance of that in game three could warrant an early call into the bullpen. Thankfully for New York, its bullpen has the second best collective ERA, but it has been busy over the past few games.
Troy Melton is making his seventh start for the Tigers. The 25-year-old has a 2.39 ERA across 37.2 innings in his second MLB season. He only pitched 45.2 frames last year as a part-time starter, but he had a 2.76 ERA. The promising rookie campaign continues in what’s been a full-time starting role in 2026. He’s allowed one earned run in four of six starts with the outliers being a two-run outing vs. the Rays and a four-run performance against the Twins.
Yankees vs. Tigers Pick, Best Bet
The Tigers beat up on the Yankees two games in a row, yet they’re still the underdogs in the series finale. Maybe I’m oversimplifying it, but I’m sticking with Detroit and fading the Yankees again.