Tarik Subak and the Tigers face the PittsburghPirates in Game 1 of a split doubleheader on Thursday afternoon, at Comerica Park. This follows Wednesday’s postponement due to inclement weather after heavy rain and thunderstorms engulfed much of the area during the afternoon and into the evening.
Pitching Matchup:
• Tigers: LHP Tarik Skubal (7-2, 1.99 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, 111 K) takes the mound. Skubal, a Cy Young contender, has been dominant, holding opponents to a low batting average and excelling at pitcher-friendly Comerica Park.
• Pirates: LHP Andrew Heaney (3-5, 3.33 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 59 K) starts for Pittsburgh. Heaney has been solid but faces a tough Tigers lineup. The Pirates struggle against left-handed pitching, slashing .207, which favors Skubal.
Team Context:
• Tigers: Detroit won the series opener 7-3 on June 17, powered by four home runs, including two from Javier Báez. They’re 25-11 at home and have won 68.8% of games as favorites this season. Key players like Riley Greene (.278 AVG, 51 RBI) and Spencer Torkelson (16 HR, 47 RBI) drive the offense.
• Pirates: Pittsburgh has lost three straight road games and dropped three of four to the Cubs recently. Their offense struggled, scoring just seven runs in that series. Oneil Cruz is a player to watch, but the Pirates’ .223 team batting average and road record (10-25) are concerns.
Betting Odds (via FOX Sports):
• Moneyline: Tigers -328, Pirates +259
• Run Line: Tigers -1.5 (-139), Pirates +1.5
• Over/Under: 7 runs (-104 over, -116 under)
The Tigers have a 76.6% implied win probability, while the Pirates’ chances are 27.9%. Experts lean toward the under due to strong pitching and cooler weather (60s) at Comerica.
Where to Watch: FanDuel Sports Detroit, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network.
