Introduction
The Detroit Tigers need a sharp reset after closing last month with a 2-1 road loss to the Chicago White Sox, completing a sweep and finishing the month with just six wins in 28 tries.
The Tigers now head south for a three-game weekday series against the Tampa Bay Rays, the best team in the American League. Tampa Bay has not been sharp of late, losing five of their last seven, including a three-game sweep by the Baltimore Orioles. Still, the Rays did take two of three from the Los Angeles Angels at home last weekend.
This opener lines up as a tough test for Detroit, with a likely bullpen game on one side and a converted starter on the other.
How to Watch
- Matchup: Detroit Tigers (22-38) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (36-20)
- Time (ET): 6:40 p.m.
- Place: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida
- TV: Detroit SportsNet
- Streaming: MLB.TV
- Radio: Tigers Radio Network
- Join the conversation: DSN Tigers Facebook Group
Odds
| Market | Detroit Tigers | Tampa Bay Rays |
|---|---|---|
| Run Line | +1.5 (-150) | -1.5 (+124) |
| Total Runs | Over 8 (-105) | Under 8 (-114) |
| Moneyline | +135 | -163 |
Predictions
Game 61: RHP Ty Madden (0-0, 2.38 ERA) vs. RHP Griffin Jax (1-3, 3.60 ERA)
Madden is slated to make his fourth appearance and first start. It will only be the second start of the 26-year-old’s career and first-ever appearance against Tampa Bay. That points to a game where Detroit will need several arms to cover innings and keep the Rays from turning the lineup over with runners on base.
The Tampa Bay Rays enter this matchup as the betting favorite at -163 on the moneyline, while the Detroit Tigers come back at +135. Bettors looking for a little more value can find Tampa Bay at +124 on the -1.5 run line, while Detroit is getting 1.5 runs at -150. The total is set at 8 runs, with oddsmakers giving a slight lean toward the under. For fans making same-game parlays on betting apps, this matchup offers several interesting angles, including pairing the Rays moneyline with the under or backing the Tigers to keep things close on the run line in what projects to be a competitive game.
Jax will be making his seventh start in a total of 18 appearances this season. All of them have come over his last six outings, in which the 31-year-old has posted a 1.71 ERA and 3.21 FIP over 21 innings, allowing 17 hits (one home run) and eight walks while striking out 17 batters. He has reached the five-inning mark twice while throwing under three frames in three games over that stretch.
Jax faced Detroit twice last season — both one-inning relief efforts — allowing just one run on three hits and no walks while striking out six in those two appearances.
Pitching comparison
| Player | G | IP | K% | BB% | GB% | FIP | FWAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madden | 3 | 11.1 | 27.9 | 4.7 | 55.2 | 2.62 | 0.2 |
| Jax | 17 | 30.0 | 21.1 | 11.7 | 50.6 | 4.50 | 0.0 |
Prediction: Rays 4, Tigers 2. Tampa Bay has had its own rough patch, but Detroit’s offense has not shown enough steady run support. If Madden and the bullpen keep the ball on the ground, the Tigers can hang around. The safer lean is still Tampa Bay at home.
More
This game opens a three-game weekday series and gives Detroit a chance to start the new month with better form after a hard 28-game stretch.
For the Tigers, the main point to watch is how Madden handles the jump into a start role. His 55.2 GB% is a good sign if Detroit’s defense is clean behind him, but the Rays tend to make pitchers work. Madden’s strikeout and walk profile — 27.9 K% and 4.7 BB% — gives Detroit a path if he can stay in the zone early.
For Tampa Bay, Jax has moved into a bigger role over the last six outings. His 21.1 K% and 11.7 BB% show some risk, but his recent 1.71 ERA gives the Rays a stable option to begin the series. Detroit’s best chance is to force long counts and get into the Rays’ bullpen before the late innings.
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