The MLB betting action continues Friday, June 3, 2022, with 15 games on the schedule, including the American League showdown at Yankee Stadium in New York, so here’s the best Tigers vs. Yankees betting pick.  

The Cats and Yanks start a three-game set, and New York is a heavy -325 home fave for Friday’s opener. Detroit sits at +287 moneyline odds, while the totals are listed at 8.0 runs on BetOnline Sportsbook.  

The Tigers shoot for their fourth straight W                         

The Detroit Tigers beat the Minnesota Twins 3-2 on Thursday afternoon to secure a 4-1 series win in front of the home fans. After blanking the Twins in the previous two contests, 4-0 and 5-0, the Cats extended their winning streak to three games thanks to Daz Cameron’s two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth inning. 

Detroit is now sitting at 21-30, occupying the fourth spot in the AL Central, eight games behind the Twins and four and a half behind the White Sox and Guardians. The Tigers got off to a terrible start, but they’ve gone 7-2 over the last nine games overall and 12-7 over the previous 19. Detroit still owns the lowest-scoring offense in the majors (2.86 runs per game). 

The Cats lean on their pitching staff, sporting the seventh-lowest ERA (3.55) and the sixth-lowest WHIP (1.17) in baseball. Their injury-depleted starting rotation holds a serviceable 4.08 ERA and 1.24 WHIP. Elvin Rodriguez will take the mound Friday at Yankee Stadium, and the 24-year-old right-handed rookie hasn’t factored into the decision in his previous two starts and one relief appearance (11.2 innings pitched). 

Rodriguez pitched four scoreless frames in a 2-1 victory to the Cleveland Guardians this past Sunday, lowering his ERA to 6.17. Elvin has allowed four earned runs in each of his first two outings in the big leagues. 

The Yankees hope to provide some run support for Gerrit Cole                  

At the time of writing, the 34-15 New York Yankees had a 6-1 lead over the Los Angeles Angels in the ninth inning of the first game of their doubleheader at Yankee Stadium. They were closing down a three-game set, and the Yanks trounced the Halos 9-1 in the opener. 

The Yankees have slowed down a bit, going 6-6 in their previous 12 contests overall. They’ve dropped Gerrit Cole’s last two turns in the rotation, and the 31-year-old righty will seek run support Friday against the Tigers. 

Cole holds a strong 3.12 ERA, 2.83 FIP, and 1.04 WHIP in ten starts (57.2 innings) this season. He had a few rough outings in 2022, including the Yankees’ 4-2 victory at Comerica Park in Detroit on April 19. The Bombers’ ace lasted a career-low 1.2 innings, allowing a couple of earned runs and a whopping five free passes. 

Trends:

Detroit: 

  • 3-6 in the last nine road games against the Yankees     

NY Yankees:

  • 15-5 in the last 20 home games against the AL Central 
  • 6-2 in Gerrit Cole’s last eight starts 

Detroit Tigers vs. New York Yankees Pick 

The moneyline odds on the Yankees are not tempting at all, so I’m going with the hosts to beat the runline. Gerrit Cole must be fired up following his terrible performance in Detroit, while the Tigers’ pitching staff will be properly tested in this matchup. 

Over the last seven days, the toothless Tigers are hitting only .244/.282/.376, while the Yankees are slashing .271/.291/.500. New York has plenty of dangerous weapons in its lineup even with Giancarlo Stanton and Josh Donaldson on the IL. 

Pick: Take New York Yankees -1.5 at -155                              

The Total:

The Tigers’ bullpen has been outstanding over the last ten days, tallying a 2.15 ERA, 2.24 FIP, and 2.39 BB/9. On the other side, the Yankees’ bullpen has registered a 3.57 ERA, 3.48 FIP, and 3.06 BB/9 in that stretch. 

If Gerrit Cole dominates the Tigers’ offense, the total should go under, though Elvin Rodriguez is a mystery. The talented rookie will have a mountain to climb against the Yankees’ offense.  

Pick: Go under 8.0 runs at -110