Detroit Tigers vs Minnesota Twins Prediction, 7/8/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Detroit Tigers vs Minnesota Twins

Date: Thursday, July 8, 2021

Location: Target Field in Minneapolis, MN

TV: Bally Sports North

Odds/Point Spread: Detroit (+140) Minnesota (-182)

Target Field is the site where J.A. Happ and the Minnesota Twins (35-49, 5th in AL Central) will take on the Detroit Tigers (39-47, 3rd in AL Central) on Thursday. The Tigers open this matchup at +140 while the Twins are priced at -182. The total has been set at 9.5. The expected starting pitchers will be Tarik Skubal and J.A. Happ.

The Tigers have accumulated 113 doubles as a squad and have knocked 93 balls out of the park. Detroit has a slugging rate of .387 and have been rung up 852 times, while being walked on 280 occasions. As a squad, the Detroit Tigers are putting up 4.1 runs/g, which is 23rd in the league. They have earned 343 runs batted in and 663 base knocks so far this year, while their team batting average is .235. They have racked up 355 runs and have an on-base percentage of .307.

The Tigers hold a team ERA of 4.67 over the course of the season (23rd in baseball), and the staff has rung up 687 batters. They have a K/BB ratio of 2.31 and their pitching staff has a team WHIP of 1.38. Tigers pitchers have given up 107 home runs and also 424 total runs (25th in baseball). They have walked 297 batters and their FIP is 4.60 as a team on the campaign.

Tigers pitchers have come into the game with opponents on base 79 times and also have had 79 appearances in high leverage situations. The relief pitchers have a total of 40 holds for the year (15th in the league). The Tigers relief pitchers have a save percentage of 64.3% and has come into the game in 70 save situations. They have earned 18 saves over the course of the season and have blown 10 of their 28 save chances. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 122 base runners on the year with 33.6% of those runners crossed the plate. The Tigers have sent 296 relief pitchers to the mound over the course of the season.

The Detroit Tigers have earned a total of 2,232 putouts on the campaign, in addition to 765 assists and 52 errors. Their fielding percentage sits at .983 which ranks 20th in pro baseball, and they have turned 622 double plays. The Tigers have turned 68.9% of balls hit into play into outs in their 6,696 innings on the diamond, which ranks them 19th in pro baseball.

Skubal has taken the hill for 114 innings and has 137 strikeouts in his career. His ERA is 4.71 (60 ER's allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.343. He has surrendered 106 base hits (8.3 hits per nine innings) and has had 48 free passes. Skubal (6-11 career mark) holds a FIP of 5.17 and he has faced 496 batters in the majors.

Minnesota has accumulated 121 long balls so far this season as well as 362 runs batted in. They have put up 146 doubles, while walking 275 times as well as putting up 390 runs. The Minnesota Twins hold a team on-base percentage of .317 in addition to a batting average of .246 over the course of the season. The Twins have a team slugging % of .433 and they tally 4.64 runs per outing (11th in baseball). They have struck out on 730 instances (20th in baseball) and have recorded 699 base hits.

The Twins have a team WHIP of 1.366 in addition to having a FIP of 4.72 as a unit on the year. They are sitting at 26th in the league as a staff in total hits conceded with 742. The Minnesota pitching staff have given up 454 runs for the year and come in with a team ERA of 5.00 (408 earned runs yielded). They currently have a K/BB ratio of 2.65 (691 strikeouts vs 261 walks). They have relinquished 127 homers and they yield 5.57 runs per 9 innings (28th in baseball).

Minnesota relievers hold an inherited score percentage of 57.6% of 92 inherited runners. Their relievers have stepped onto the mound 93 times in high leverage situations and also on 66 occasions with runners on. Sitting with 77 save situations, the Twins have 46 holds and also 11 blown saves. They sit at 13th in MLB with a save percentage of 64.5%, and they have dispatched 274 bullpen pitchers to the mound this season. Minnesota has called on bullpen pitchers to step onto the hill in 31 save chances and they have tallied 20 saves.

The Minnesota Twins have twisted 70 double plays and have a fielding rate of .980 (30th in MLB). The Twins have accrued 734 assists, 60 errors and have a total of 2,203 putouts this season. In 6,609 innings played, the Twins have earned a defensive efficiency of 68.4% (24th in baseball).

Thus far in his career, Happ has allowed 1,734 hits while totaling 1,598 strikeouts in 1,816 innings pitched. Happ (127-96 career win-loss mark) has earned a 4.07 ERA and has allowed 8.6 hits per nine innings. He has surrendered 821 earned runs while holding a WHIP of 1.309 and a FIP of 4.3. His K/BB ratio is 2.48 and he has faced 7,712 batters in his pro baseball career.

Who will win tonight's MLB game ATS?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Minnesota (-182)

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