Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pirates continue to struggle this season, now sitting at just 52-75. Their home form hasn’t been great either, going 26-37 on the campaign. Josh Bell continues to be their only offensive weapon, going for 31 home runs and 99 RBI so far. Mitch Keller will pitch here, going 1-2 with a dreadful 8.86 ERA so far.
Cincinnati Reds
Despite a disappointing season, the Reds are still a respectable 60-66. Their road form has really killed them, going just 23-35 so far. 3rd Baseman Eugenio Suarez has really come on of late, leading the clubhouse with 34 home runs and 78 RBI. Anthony DeSclafani will pitch here, going 8-7 with a 4.4 ERA so far.
Prediction: Reds $1.92
I think the Reds are comfortably the better side here and should really be the favourites in this one. Pittsburgh lack a real home field advantage and Mitch Keller has struggled mightily so far. I expect a solid day from DeSclafani and a strong hitting performance from Suarez and co to get the win here.
Minnesota Twins
The Twins are in the midst of an absolutely stellar campaign, currently sitting at 77-50. They’ve done most of their damage on the road but can still boast a strong 37-28 home record. Kepler and Cruz are really forming a dynamic duo offensively, each man eclipsing 33 home runs and 80 RBI on the season. Jose Berrios will pitch here, going 10-6 with a 3.37 ERA.
Detroit Tigers
Perhaps the most miserable side in baseball, the Tigers enter this contest at 36-87. They’ve been slightly better on the road, but still sport a 21-44 record. They finally got an offensive achievement last week with Miguel Cabrera the first player to reach 50 RBI. Matthew Boyd is slated to pitch here, going 6-9 with a 4.24 ERA so far.
Prediction: Twins $1.50
While the Twins are at a very short price here, all the stats indicate they should be even shorter. Berrios is one of the better pitchers in this league and shouldn’t have any difficulty containing this anaemic offense. Conversely, the Twins batting lineup has shown some real quality all season and I’m not sure Boyd can match up with them.