The Detroit Tigers (0-3) and the Houston Astros (2-2) open a 3-game series at Minute Maid Park on Monday. First pitch is scheduled for 8:10 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Tigers vs. Astros odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.
Season series: First meeting; Astros won the season series 7-0 in 2022.
The Tigers have stumbled out of the chute, getting swept in a 3-game road series at the Tampa Bay Rays to start the year. Detroit amassed just 3 runs in 3 games while allowing 21, although the Under cashed in 2 of the 3 outings.
The Astros split a 4-game series at home against the Chicago White Sox to kick off the year, losing by a 6-3 count Sunday. Houston cashed the Over in each of the past 3 games after an Under result on Opening Day.
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Tigers at Astros projected starters
LHP Matthew Boyd vs. RHP Hunter Brown
Boyd went 2-0 with a 1.35 ERA in 2022 with the Seattle Mariners. He had a career-best 0.98 WHIP, 5.4 BB/9 and 8.8 K/9 in 13 1/3 IP across 10 relief appearances and no starts.
- Making his first start in the majors since Sept. 4, 2021, when he was first with the Tigers
- Made a relief appearance against the Astros on Oct. 15 last season, allowing a hit and a walk while retiring a batter in an 8-pitch outing
Brown was 2-0 with a 0.89 ERA last season. He finished with a 1.08 WHIP, 3.1 BB/9 and 9.7 K/9 in 20 1/3 IP across 2 starts and 5 relief appearances.
- The Detroit native faced the Tigers at Comerica Park last season, allowing 2 ER, 5 H and 2 BB with 6 K across 6 IP in a win Sept. 13
- Went 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA with 12 K and a .143 opponent batting average (OBA) across 10 1/3 IP in 1 start and 3 relief appearances at home in 2022
Tigers at Astros odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 6:33 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Tigers +180 (bet $100 to win $180) | Astros -225 (bet $225 to win $100)
- Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Tigers +1.5 (-110) | Astros -1.5 (-110)
- Over/Under (O/U): 8.5 (O: -110 | U: -110)
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Tigers at Astros picks and predictions
Prediction
Astros 7, Tigers 2
Moneyline
The Astros (-225) will cost more than 2 times your potential return, and that’s just too expensive for a single bet. Even including Houston in a multi-team parlay sucks a lot of value out of your ticket.
AVOID, and focus on the run line instead.
Run line/Against the spread
ASTROS -1.5 (-110) is a solid play. The Tigers were atrocious in their opening series in St. Petersburg, getting outscored 21-3 while losing every game by at least 4 runs.
The Tigers have dropped 6 in a row on the road dating back to last season and have won just 19 of their last 60 against winning teams. Detroit is just 7-20 in the past 27 meetings with Houston, including dropping 4 straight at Minute Maid Park.
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Over/Under
OVER 8.5 (-110) is worth playing lightly.
The Under cashed in 2 of the 3 games for the Tigers against the Rays, mainly because the offense could cobble together just 3 total runs in the 3-game sweep.
The Astros cashed the Over in the past 3 games, averaging 5.0 runs per game and allowing 4.4 runs per game. Houston’s lineup is capable of taking care of the Over on its own against the Tigers.
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