Detroit Tigers (40-48) vs. Minnesota Twins (36-50)
July 10, 2021 2:10 pm EDT
The Line: Minnesota Twins -175 / Detroit Tigers +160 ; Over/Under: 9.5
(Get latest betting odds)
The Detroit Tigers and the Minnesota Twins meet Saturday in MLB action from Target Field. This will bet the third installment in a four-game series between these teams over the weekend. The Twins got a win Thursday, then in the Friday game two Minnesota kept it going with a two-run victory. Check back all season long for free MLB picks at Sports Chat Place.
Detroit had a brief lead in the opener Thursday, but gave up three runs in the seventh during a 5-3 loss. In the Friday game two, the Tigers posted eight hits but eventually fell in a 4-2 result. Matt Manning managed 5.0 innings with two earned on three walks and two hits.
For the Saturday game, the Tigers will send out Kyle Funkhouser. This year Funkhouser is 3-0 with a solid 2.59 ERA and 25 strikeouts so far.
Over on the Twins’ side, they could only muster six hits in the Thursday game, but it was still enough for the victory. In Friday’s matchup, Minnesota logged four runs in the sixth on the way to the win. Kenta Maeda was solid on 5.0 innings with two walks and two hits.
For the starter job in the Saturday game, the Twins will send out Bailey Ober. Across his 29.2 innings this year, Ober is 1-1 with a 4.85 ERA and 33 strikeouts in seven starts. He’s coming off four earned in 4.1 innings his last time up.
The Tigers are 8-3 in their last 11 in game three of a series and 23-48 in their last 71 road games with the total set at 9.0-10.5. Detroit is 40-95 in their last 135 versus the AL Central and the under is 20-8-2 in their last 30 in game three of a series.
Meanwhile, the Twins are 4-1 in their last five Saturday games and the under is 3-0-1 in their last four Saturday games. The under is 3-1-1 in the Twins’ last five in game three of a series and the over is 42-20-4 in their last 66 overall.
PICK: I’m going to take a stab on Detroit. Ober has had a few good outings this year (like 5.0 innings with two hits and three walks versus the White Sox), but he’s also got some duds. Ober had a run of nine earned with four walks and 10 hits in 7.2 innings across two games late last month. If the Tigers can get the bats going early in this one they should be in okay shape for a potential victory.
