Detroit Tigers at Oakland Athletics Betting Preview/Prop Picks
21 July 2022
The Detroit Tigers have a lot of work to do if they're planning on climbing up in the AL Central. At the moment, they have a record of 37-55 and are fourth in the division.
Tonight, the Tigers will have a chance to get a few wins during a doubleheader against the Athletics. We're going to be focusing on the second game of the night after the early afternoon game.
The Oakland Athletics are 32-61 and rank last in the NL West. Considering how many incredible teams are in that division, it might be tough for them to bounce back.
They've done pretty well over their last five games, winning three of them. Two of those three wins were against the Houston Astros, a rather tough opponent. We'll have to see how Oakland handles the Tigers.
Detroit Tigers: Tigers have a slight edge at the plate
Each of these teams has had significant struggles this season. Saying that one of them has an edge is slightly difficult. However, when looking at the Tigers' batting average compared to the Athletics, you'll see a difference.
The Tigers have a batting average of .229, which isn't great, and ranks 27th overall. However, this is far better than the Athletics average of .211.
On the mound, tonight is essentially where the Tigers could run into some trouble. Getting the start is Garrett Hill, who has a 1-1 record as a starter.
Although he's only pitched 11 innings this season, he has an ERA of 5.73. With Hill on the mound, the Athletics' poor batting average could improve. This is likely the largest factor in who will win today's game.
Oakland Athletics: The pitching edge goes to Oakland
We've mentioned already how poor the Athletics batting average is. However, we can't ignore the fact that they've won three of their last five games.
In their two wins against the Texans, the Athletics scored over five runs. If they can do that tonight, Oakland could pull off a win over the Tigers. The question is, will their batters be able to make a dent in the run totals today?
Getting the start on the mound is the 3-9 Frankie Montas. Although Montas has a well under .500 record, he has an ERA of 3.26. With an ERA that is much better than Hill of Detroit, it's not surprising that Oakland is the favorite.
It's important to remember, though, that just because a team is a favorite, a win isn't guaranteed. This is especially true with the Oakland Athletics.
Detroit Tigers at Oakland Athletics Betting Pick
These two teams are rather similar, especially in terms of record. The Tigers have a slight edge at the plate, while the Athletics have an edge on the mound.
We believe the first game of tonight's doubleheader will go to the Athletics. This game, however, will go to the Tigers at +132 because of what they can do at the plate.
Along with taking the Tigers, we're going to take the over tonight as well. It may not seem like it, but each of these teams have the ability to score runs. In their win over the Kansas City Royals, the Tigers scored seven runs.
DunkelIndex Free Pick: Detroit Tigers +132, OVER
Prop Picks
Detroit (-150) OVER 2.5 Runs
Oakland is allowing 4.69 runs per 9 innings on defense, which ranks No. 23 in the league, with an opposing team of .731, which also ranks No. 23. Scores have gone OVER in nine of Oakland’s last 12 second games of a double-header.
With Dunkel predicting a Detroit victory by the score of 5-4, take the Tigers (-150) to finish OVER their Vegas team total of 2.5 runs against the A’s.
Detroit (+130) Most Hits
Oakland is averaging 6.89 hits per 9 innings, which ranks No. 30 in the league, with a team BA of .211, which also ranks No. 30. Those averages drop to 6.05 hits per 9 innings and .193 BA at home.
With Dunkel predicting a Detroit road win while going over its Vegas run total, take the Tigers (+130) to finish with more hits than the A’s.
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