The Detroit Tigers have a chance to build off a tight 10-9 win over the Tampa Bay Rays in St. Petersburg, where they led wire-to-wire but had to hang on late.
Tigers(23-38)
Rays(36-21)The Tigers can string together two straight victories for the first time since the opening days of May on Tuesday, but they will need a clean start from Jack Flaherty. The right-hander has been better of late, limiting his free passes to just one while keeping up his strikeout totals with 20 over the last 15 innings of work across the past three starts.
Still, Detroit is just 2-10 this season with Flaherty on the mound. His last win as a starter came back on April 15 against the Kansas City Royals, when he worked a six-inning effort that saw him cough up a run on two hits and three walks while striking out seven.
The Rays counter with Steven Matz, who had a string of three straight solid starts — two of them of the quality variety — snapped last time out against the Baltimore Orioles. In that start, he allowed six runs on seven hits (one home run) and two walks while striking out two over three innings.
How to Watch
- Matchup: Tigers (23-38) vs. Rays (36-21)
- Time: 6:40 p.m.
- Place: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida
- TV: Detroit SportsNet
- Streaming: MLB.TV
- Radio: Tigers Radio Network
- DSN Tigers Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thecornertigers
Odds
| Matchup | Run Line | Total | Moneyline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit Tigers (Jack Flaherty) | +1.5 (-171) | Over 8.5 (-105) | +119 |
| Tampa Bay Rays (Steven Matz) | -1.5 (+141) | Under 8.5 (-114) | -143 |
The Rays enter this matchup as the betting favorite at -143 on the moneyline, while the Tigers are listed as a +119 underdog despite sending Jack Flaherty to the mound. The total is set at 8.5 runs, with oddsmakers giving a slight lean toward the under. Bettors looking at alternate angles may find value in Detroit getting +1.5 runs at -171, while Tampa Bay backers can boost the payout with the Rays -1.5 run line at +141. As always, it’s worth shopping around between sportsbooks and taking advantage of all kinds of betting app promos before placing a wager, as odds and bonus offers can vary significantly from one betting app to another.
Predictions
Game 62: RHP Flaherty (0-7, 5.81 ERA) vs. LHP Matz (4-2, 4.67 ERA)
| Player | G | IP | K% | BB% | GB% | FIP | fWAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flaherty | 12 | 52.2 | 25.7 | 12.0 | 30.1 | 4.61 | 0.5 |
| Matz | 9 | 44.1 | 19.0 | 9.2 | 33.6 | 4.77 | 0.3 |
Flaherty’s recent control is a good sign, but the season trend with him starting is hard to ignore. The Tigers also have to prove they can close out games cleanly after nearly giving away Monday’s lead.
Matz has not been dominant, and Detroit has a real chance if the lineup carries over its production from the 10-9 win. But the Rays still enter with the better record and more stable form.
Prediction: Rays 5, Tigers 4.
More
Matz, 35-year-old, saw the Tigers thrice last season — once with the St. Louis Cardinals and the other two with the Boston Red Sox, all in relief. He held Detroit scoreless across four frames of work, surrendering just one hit and zero walks while striking out three.
For the Tigers, this game is less about one win and more about showing they can stack good nights. A victory would give them two straight wins for the first time since the opening days of May and would come against the top squad in the American League.
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