Detroit returns home after opening the season with two wins in Miami. The Tigers are eager to put their last-place finish of 2015 behind them and return to the form that won them the AL Central the previous four seasons.
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ODDS ANALYSIS
The Yankees were able to extract some revenge on the Astros in their season opening series by taking two of three from the team that eliminated them from the Wild Card game in 2015. They now hit the road for the first time this season with a three-game set in Detroit followed by an AL East showdown with the Blue Jays. Offense doesn’t seem to be an issue for the Yanks after pounding out 33 hits and scoring 27 runs against Houston. They played the over in all three games.
Looking potent as well, the Tigers open up their home schedule with this weekend series. The Tigers scored 15 runs in a two-game sweep of Miami and could easily have scored 25. This won’t be routine for either side. The weather will be frigid and in an instant a team that looked as if it could hammer anybody could go silent.
PROBABLE PITCHERS
C.C. Sabathia had a tumultuous 2015, working to a 4.73 ERA before checking himself into rehab during the Yankees lone postseason game. The lefty finished the season strong after deciding to wear a knee brace, posting a 3.80 ERA in August and a 2.17 mark in his final five starts. The former Cy Young winner also saw his average velocity climb back into the 90s.
He was selected for the No. 5 spot in the rotation over Ivan Nova after posting a 5.51 ERA in five spring starts. Sabathia allowed two runs with five strikeouts in 8.0 innings taking the loss in his only start against the Tigers last season.
Mike Pelfrey makes his Tigers debut coming off a solid spring that raised hopes he can do a lot more than fill innings in his second year back from arm problems. Pelfrey made 30 starts last season with Minnesota going 6-11 with a 4.26 ERA. He pitches to contact and that could be troubling for New York batters with temperatures expected to be low.
Pelfrey has started six games during his career against the Yankees with a 2-3 record and 4.72 ERA over 34.1 innings. His lone start against them in 2015 resulted in a no-decision after he gave up a run in 5.1 innings.
LIVE BETTING
Both starting pitchers are working their way back from issues that have caused some career concerns. Sabathia entered rehab for alcohol abuse near the end of last season and we’ve seen his effectiveness decline now that he’s reached 34. Pelfrey started just five games in 2014 before being shelved with an arm injury. He did start 30 games last season for the Twins with less than impressive numbers. That means we could see some offense in this game. The Yankees bats were alive against the Astros hitting .314 as a team with 27 runs and seven home runs in the three games. Detroit wasn’t too bad either. The Tigers hit at a .309 clip scoring 15 runs with five homers in a two-game sweep of Miami.
QUICK PICK
Yankees starter Sabathia isn’t close to being the once dominant starter he was a few seasons back and the Tigers have shown to be pretty good offensively. The Yankees started out hot themselves and the teams played above the scoreline in every game of their respective opening series. The frigid conditions could be a factor but the clubs are built for offense so expect plenty. Detroit still has some concerns in the bullpen, especially after closer Francisco Rodriguez had a meltdown in his first save chance, surrendering three runs in a MLB game the Tigers would win in extra innings. He did pick up his first save the next day by recording just one out. The pen has been an area of concern for the past few years and K-Rod is 34, so there may not be much left.
MLB Odds: New York 8, Detroit 6
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