The Cincinnati Reds and Detroit Tigers have been two of the surprises of the MLB season. Almost halfway through the year, Detroit has the largest division lead of any team in baseball. And the Reds are above .500 to the shock of most, and firmly in the wild-card race.
Cincinnati and Detroit’s explosive potential has been on display in the first two games of this series. An 11-5 Tigers victory on Friday was followed by an 11-1 Reds win on Saturday. Now the league’s underdog darlings have a matinee rubber match on Sunday.
The Tigers are favored at -182 on the Moneyline on the DraftKings Sportsbook. The over/under is set at nine runs. Let’s take a look at the best bet for this contest.
Reds at Tigers prediction, preview
It’s a strange pitching matchup in this one. 38-year-old journeyman Wade Miley will be making his second start of the season in this one. Back in Cincinnati, where Miley played his best baseball in 2021, he’s hoping to keep afloat.
For the Tigers, Sawyer Gipson-Long is making his sixth career start, and second of the season. With 28 career innings pitched, he only needs another 1,724 to catch up to Miley. Playing an above average Reds offense doesn’t bode well for the young right-hander.
Ultimately, Detroit is the far better team. Its lineup excels at situational hitting and has lots of hot bats. Even with the experience gap on the mound, I’m counting on Detroit to come away with this game and take home the series.
Reds at Tigers pick
To be frank, this matchup doesn’t bode well for either pitcher. Miley is an innings-eater at best by this point in his career, and Gipson-Long is an unknown commodity. Both offenses have put up double digits in this series and have swung the bats well all season. On a hot day in Detroit with moderate humidity, the ball will carry well.
Everything in this one adds up to an over. I’d also consider the Detroit run line if it comes on the board around +160 or better.
