The Tigers (59-70, 28-36 home) host the Astros (73-58, 38-27 away) in game three of this American League series. Getting the start for the Tigers is Alex Faedo while the Astros are turning to Justin Verlander. Read on to get my best bet for this Detroit Tigers vs. Houston Astros matchup.

HOUSTON ASTROS VS DETROIT TIGERS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Detroit Tigers +1.5 Runs

This game will be played at Comerica Park at 1:40 ET on Sunday, August 27th.

WHY BET THE DETROIT TIGERS:

  • Against the runline, the Tigers have gone 4-1 in their five games at home.
  • The last three times the Tigers have been the underdog, they are 2-1 against the runline.
  • Opponents are hitting just .140 against Alex Faedo in his last three starts.

HOUSTON ASTROS TRYING TO CLOSE GAP IN AL WEST

131 games into the season, the Astros have a record of 73-58, putting them 3rd in the AL West. This mark includes an overall series 22-15-4. At home, they are 35-31 compared to 38-27 on the road.

Justin Verlander is slated to take the mound for the Astros with an overall record of 9-6. Through 20 appearances, his ERA is 3.19, K/9 7.83, FIP 3.70, and OBP .284.

The Houston Astros earned a victory the last time Justin Verlander was on the mound, defeating the Boston Red Sox 7-3. The veteran pitcher tossed six frames, allowing five hits and no earned runs to add another win to his ledger.

Offensively, Houston is ranked 7th in the league with an average of 4.9 runs per game. When looking over their last ten matchups, the Astros averaged 4.6 runs per contest, which is 9th best in that span. In terms of their power numbers, Houston is 9th in all of baseball, with a total of 168 home runs.

Alex Bregman has been an offensive force for the Astros this season, leading the team with 21 home runs over their last five games. His batting average stands at .259, and his most recent long ball was a solo shot in their last outing.

WILL THE DETROIT TIGERS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

For the season, the Tigers have put together a record of 59-70 and are 3rd in the AL Central, putting them 7.5 games out of first place. Detroit’s overall series record sits at 17-21-5. On the road, they have gone 31-34 and 28-36 at home.

The Detroit Tigers are sending Alex Faedo to the mound, who has a 2-4 record this season. In 10 starts, Faedo has posted an ERA of 4.91 and a K/9 of 7.89. His FIP is 4.86 and opposing batters have managed an OBP of .245 against him.

Alex Faedo was unable to secure a win in his most recent start, despite pitching six quality innings. The Tigers ultimately fell to the Cubs 7-6, with Faedo surrendering three hits and two earned runs.

This season, the Tigers are 28th in the league at 4 runs per game. Over their last five games, they have a combined batting average of .228 (18th) leading to 4.8 runs per contest. Overall, they are generating 3.0 walks per game compared to 8 strikeouts. Detroit’s on-base percentage of .301 has them 18th in the MLB.

Spencer Torkelson is the top slugger for the Tigers this season, leading the team in home runs with 23 and RBIs with 68. His slugging percentage currently stands at .436.