Both the Pittsburgh Pirates and Detroit Tigers are rebuilding and its starting to show on the field as each team sinks further in weak division races and out of playoff contention.
However, two young pitchers look to make their respective mark on Tuesday against floundering offenses. Johan Oviedo gets the ball for the Pirates while the Tigers send out Matt Manning to try and get the Tigers a win.
Here are the odds for Tuesday's series opener:
Tigers vs. Pirates odds, run line and total
Tigers vs. Pirates prediction and pick
Both offenses are in a bad way at the moment and I think it's going to play a big role on Tuesday night.
These are two of the five worst teams in Major League Baseball in OPS this past month, and I fancy both matchups for each pitcher.
Oviedo is in good form out of the All-Star break, posting a 3.71 ERA in three starts and should be able to control a Detroit offense that is bottom 10 in walk rate on the year -- Oviedo's biggest flaw. The Pirates right hander walks nearly four batters per nine innings.
Manning comes in off a poor start, allowing seven earned runs in five innings against the Los Angeles Angels, but he should bounce back strong against the Pirates.
Manning's biggest issue has been hard contact, allowing 1.5 per nine innings, but the Pirates are bottom five in slugging percentage on the year.
Manning has posted decent strikeout to walk numbers, more than two K's for ever free base given out, and should handle the Pirates lineup that has been a mess over the past month.
I'll trust both starters and target the total as my favorite bet in this one.
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.