Detroit Tigers vs Pittsburgh Pirates Preview: Stat Hook & Tips

Detroit Tigers host the Pittsburgh Pirates at Comerica Park on Sun, 27 Sept, 3:10 am AEST in an intriguing interleague matchup. Four wins from their last five outings jumps off the page for Pittsburgh as they make the trip north. Detroit enters following a 2–4 loss against the Washington Nationals, sitting on a 74–85 record for the season. With veteran Justin Verlander listed as the probable starter for the home side, there is plenty to digest ahead of first pitch.

Who Wins At Comerica Park?

The head-to-head market has the Detroit Tigers at 1.87 with the Pittsburgh Pirates paying 1.94. Looking at overall campaign records, Pittsburgh brings an 81–78 mark into this contest compared to Detroit's 74–85 tally. The numbers say momentum sits with the visitors, who are coming off a tight 2–1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.

Detroit has found runs hard to come by recently, posting an average of just 2.8 runs per game across their last five overall starts. For punters following mlb predictions, Pittsburgh claimed two of the three head-to-head clashes between these sides back in August, giving the away side plenty of appeal.

Line Analysis: Spread Edge

The line sees Detroit at -1.5 runs paying 2.55, while Pittsburgh +1.5 sits at 1.50. Across their last five overall matches, Pittsburgh's average winning margin was 1.3 runs, highlighting their ability to stay tight in low-scoring contests.

Meanwhile, Detroit's average loss margin across their past five overall starts is 3.3 runs. Given Pittsburgh's strong recent record of getting over the line in tight games, taking the Pirates with the +1.5 start rates a real chance.

Total Runs: Expect A Low-Scoring Battle

The Total Runs line is set at 8.5 runs, with the Over priced at 2.00 and the Under at 1.80. Recent form points heavily towards a low-scoring contest.

Detroit has averaged 2.8 runs for and 4.0 against across their last five overall starts, while Pittsburgh has averaged 3.0 runs for and 2.8 against in the same sample. That combined average of 5.8 runs per game sits comfortably below the set total. Add in a head-to-head average total of 8.3 runs from their meetings earlier this season, and the Under gets a big tick.