American League Foes Lock Horns
The Detroit Tigers will hit the road to take on the Houston Astros Thursday in the first edition of a four-game series.
The game will get underway inside Minute Maid Park in Houston, Texas, at 8:10 p.m. ET.
Let’s check the latest MLB picks, stats, injury reports, and MLB odds for Tigers vs Astros. We’ve plenty of MLB predictions.
Detroit’s Early Spoils Run Out
The Detroit Tigers were never expected to be a serious contender in the AL, but they had managed to defy some MLB odds and put together decent outings before losing eight of their last 10 games, bringing them to 8-15 on the year. They lost their last outing to the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-2 despite having most of their lineup intact and now have to hit the road, an environment in which they have only won three of nine possible games thus far.
Detroit’s leading members, such as Javier Baez and Austin Meadows, have mostly done their job, but the rest of the team has been inept on offense, leading to a 22nd ranking in combined batting average. They have also scored five or fewer runs in each of their last 10 games, which severely limits their opportunities.
Tarik Skubal (1-2, 3.05 ERA) will be on the mound for Detroit, coming off of a five-inning, three-earned-run performance in his last start against the Minnesota Twins.
Houston Begins to Streak
The Houston Astros have become a favorite amongst MLB picks in recent seasons because of their continued dominance and renewed postseason success. Just when it appeared that their luck had finally run out, they started to play like that same team the baseball world regards them as, winning three straight and seven of their last nine to improve to 14-11.
The Astros are still struggling in most major offensive categories, but their saving grace is they have hit the fifth-most home runs, led by Yordan Alvarez’s eight. Michael Brantley is also having a decent campaign, but the biggest misfires have come from longtime team member Jose Altuve, who is day-to-day and has already missed 13 games.
José Urquidy (2-1, 5.95 ERA) will get the starting nod for the Astros, having allowed an average of four earned runs across his last three starts.
Tigers vs Astros Head-to-Head
Thursday will mark the first meeting between the Astros and Tigers this season.
Detroit took five of the seven matchups in 2021, including an early-season three-game sweep of their rivals.
Tigers vs Astros Game Information
- Game: Tigers (8-15) vs Astros (14-11)
- Location: Minute Maid Park
- Day/Time: Thursday, May 5th. 8:10 p.m. ET
- Tigers vs Astros Live Stream: MLB.tv
Tigers vs Astros Betting Lines
| Team | Handicap | Moneyline | Total | Team Total |
| Detroit Tigers | +1½ -140 | +144 | 8-120o | 3½-110o / 3½-120u |
| Houston Astros | -1½ +120 | -159 | 8Evu | 4½-105o / 4½-125u |
Tigers vs Astros Prediction
This game and the sentiments surrounding it are starting to resemble those of last season; Detroit, despite rebuffing itself in the offseason, is struggling, while the Astros, even if their stars are not quite firing on all cylinders, are beginning to outclass their opponents.
The Tigers have a slight advantage in the pitching matchup, however, they are also facing a more intimidating crew of hitters, which essentially nullifies this advantage. The big question Detroit will have to answer is if they can find explosive moments to match Houston’s inconsistent but quick scoring runs.
As of now, the jury is out on the Tigers, and the Astros get the nod because of their experience overcoming adversity. Houston is also hot right now, so defending their home field should come fairly easily for them.
Those looking to bet online can find MLB lines and more on the BETUS sportsbook.
