Boston Red Sox vs Detroit Tigers Prediction 5-31-24 Picks

The Detroit Tigers and the Boston Red Sox meet Friday in MLB action from Fenway Park. Here’s a Boston Red Sox vs Detroit Tigers prediction. This will be the second installment in a four-game series. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best bets for the game.

Detroit Tigers Betting Preview

The Tigers played a doubleheader versus the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday. In game one Detroit powered out an 8-0 win. In the nightcap the Tigers lost 10-2. On Thursday in their opener versus the Red Sox, Detroit bagged a shutout win 5-0. Starter Jack Flaherty finished with 6.0 innings, one hit, one walk and nine strikeouts.

As starting pitcher for Friday’s game the Tigers are sending out Kenta Maeda. This year Made is 2-1 with a 5.80 ERA and 24 Ks in 35.2 innings over eight starts. Maeda is 67-50 with a 3.99 ERA in 198 career games (163 starts).

Boston Red Sox Betting Preview

Over on the Red Sox’ side, they took on the rival Baltimore Orioles this week. Boston fell 11-3 in the opener but then came back for an 8-3 win in game two. On Wednesday in the rubber match the Red Sox fell 6-1. In Thursday’s game Boston could only muster two hits in the defeat. Nick Pivetta lasted 5.1 innings with three hits, two earned, two walks and nine Ks.

It’ll be Tanner Houck in the starter role for the Red Sox on Friday. This year over his 11 starts Houck is 4-5 with a 1.90 ERA and 69 Ks in 71.0 innings. Houck is 19-24 with a 3.43 ERA in 85 career games (52 starts).

Tigers vs Red Sox Injury Notes

Tigers RF Kerry Carpenter (lower-back soreness) was placed on the 10-day Injured List this week.

Red Sox LF Masataka Yoshida (thumb) will begin swinging a bat soon.

Total Runs Facts

• Eight of the Tigers’ last nine road games have gone OVER the total runs line.
• Each of the Red Sox’s last five games as favorites against the Tigers have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Red Sox’s last nine games as home favorites against AL Central opponents.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Tigers’ last four games as underdogs.

Boston Red Sox Player Prop Facts

• Garrett Cooper has hit a home run in three of his four previous appearances against the Tigers after playing the previous day.
• Garrett Cooper has recorded at least one RBI in three of his four previous appearances against the Tigers after playing the previous day.
• Trevor Story has recorded at least one hit in each of his nine previous appearances with his team as a favorite against the Tigers.
• Trevor Story has recorded at least one total base in each of his nine previous appearances against the Tigers.
• Trevor Story has scored at least one run in four of his last five appearances against the Tigers.
• Connor Wong has recorded at least one Single in 19 of his last 21 appearances in night games.

Detroit Tigers Player Prop Facts

• Matt Vierling has hit at least one home run in each of the Tigers’ last three games against opponents that held a losing record.
• Javier Baez has recorded at least one Double in three of the Tigers’ last four road games against opponents that held a losing record.
• Javier Baez has recorded at least one RBI in each of the Tigers’ last four road games against opponents that held a losing record.
• Matt Vierling has scored at least one run in each of the Tigers’ last four games.
• Mark Canha has recorded at least one Single in each of the Tigers’ last six games.
• Andy Ibanez has recorded at least one hit in each of his last eight appearances in night games against AL teams that held a losing record.
• Andy Ibanez has recorded at least one total base in each of his last eight appearances in night games against AL teams that held a losing record.
• Kenta Maeda has recorded three or more strikeouts in 29 of his last 31 appearances in night games.

Boston Red Sox vs Detroit Tigers Prediction

I’ll stay with the Red Sox here. Boston should be in good hands with Houck on the mound; he’s been pitching well lately. Over his last three starts combined, Houck is 1-1 with just two earned runs in 18.2 innings total on 14 hits and five walks. A quality start Friday would set Boston up very well.

On Thursday the Red Sox had a pretty rough evening at the plate. Rob Refsnyder and Reese McGuire were the only ones to manage a hit. The good news is that the pen did well outside of Chris Martin’s three earned runs. Boston needs a significant bounce-back in game two but I think they’re up for it.