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Tigers look to follow up Casey’s A-Mize-ing Performance

Detroit and Seattle Square up in Middle Game of First Series Tuesday

The MLB Tuesday slate wraps up in the Emerald City as the Detroit Tigers (15-26, 6-14 Away) look to make it two in a row against the Seattle Mariners (21-21, 12-10 Home). First pitch from T-Mobile Park in Seattle is scheduled for 10:10 p.m. EST.

Monday’s matchup was the first meeting of the season between the two American League teams after not seeing each other at all during the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign. Detroit cruised to a 4-1 win in the opener on the back of a dominating pitching performance from Casey Mize.

Detroit at Seattle MLB Pick
Steph Chambers/Getty Images/AFP

Tuesday’s tilt features a pitching matchup between the Tigers’ Spencer Turnbull and Justin Dunn of the Mariners.

The Mariners are sportsbook moneyline favorites (-118) on Tuesday night with an over/under of eight runs. Seattle is +160 on the run line while Detroit is +108 on the moneyline and -190 getting a run and a half.

Mize Joins Exclusive Company

The Tigers’ prized prospect silenced the Mariners offense on Monday to the tune of one run on three hits, pitching into the eighth inning. He became just the third Detroit rookie since 2006 to post those numbers, joining Justin Verlander and Michael Fulmer. Fulmer did it in back-to-back starts in 2016 and both he and Verlander went on to win Rookie of the Year honors.

Mize allowed a solo home run in the eighth inning before getting the next two hitters out. Tigers’ manager AJ Hinch went and got him after that, preventing a late-game showdown with another rookie phenom, Jarred Kelenic, which didn’t exactly sit well with the pitcher.

“I will never be mad when a pitcher gets frustrated coming out of a game,” Hinch said. “They want to stay in there.”

“I love it. Casey was mad from the minute that I stepped on the field,” he continued. “He gave up that leadoff homer. He was never facing Kelenic. He had three hitters to get three outs and he gave up the homer, so I went and got him.”

Kelenic and Kikuchi Combo

Kelenic made a lasting first impression when his first big league hit wound up in the stands in the Mariners’ win this past Friday. And he finally recorded his first base hit with a single Monday night after going 0-5 in back-to-back games. He and Mize will meet again. And it will be must-see TV.

Yusei Kikuchi took the loss in the series opener with Detroit, but he gave the team a much-needed six innings when most of the bullpen was unavailable after a taxing few games prior (including the use of seven relievers Sunday). He needed 50 pitches to get out of the second, providing some nervous moments in the dugout, but the third-year lefty persevered and settled his manager down.

“In the past, there’s no chance,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said when asked if Kikuchi would’ve been able to pitch his way out of a similar jam over his first two seasons. “And, quite frankly, knowing the state of our bullpen tonight, often I don’t get anxious in the second inning, and I was a little anxious tonight because I didn’t quite know where we’re going. So a ton of credit to him tonight for hanging in there.”

Betting Line & Pick

The Tigers are 8-2 in their last 10 games on Tuesday, while Seattle is 8-3 in their last 11 games vs. a team with a winning percentage below .400 and 5-2 in their last seven vs. the American League Central. We’re going with the home team to even up the series and set up the rubber match on Wednesday. Bet online the Seattle Mariners to take this and come away with a short series win over the Tigers.

Pick: Seattle Mariners -118

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