The Detroit Tigers have been accustomed to inhabiting the role of a betting favorite over the past two years when Justin Verlander has been their starting pitcher. That might not be the case here.
Washington Nationals @ Detroit Tigers – Wednesday, July 31
Betting line: No line
Why Washington Will Win
When immersed in the world of online sports betting, you can make educated guesses, but you are better served by keeping track of facts. The best sports betting sites on the market have spent much of the past two and a half big-league seasons installing the Detroit Tigers as a single-game favorite whenever their staff ace, Justin Verlander, takes the bump. Verlander didn’t win the Cy Young Award last season, but he was as good as any pitcher in the sport. He took command of the American League Division Series between the Tigers and the Oakland Athletics. He won Game 3 of the American League Championship Series with a strong performance. He and Miguel Cabrera were the top two reasons the Tigers won the American League pennant, and in 2011, he was the main reason the Tigers made the ALCS against the Texas Rangers before losing in six games. Verlander has established himself as an elite pitcher, but this season, what had been a Hall of Fame-level career has taken a sharp and negative turn. Verlander has had to deal with some minor, nagging injuries, but those injuries have had a substantial effect on him. Quadricep tightness has been an issue in recent weeks, and Verlander has been roughed up in each of his last two starts against a pair of weak-hitting teams, the Kansas City Royals and Chicago White Sox. In his last 15 starts, Verlander is 6-6 with a 5.22 ERA. That’s not solid, decent, or respectable; that’s bad pitching and needs to be seen for what it actually is.
Sure, Washington is a terrible hitting team, but if Verlander can get whacked by the Royals and especially the White Sox, the Nationals can get at him, too. Washington starting pitcher Gio Gonzalez owns a 2.97 ERA and has not allowed more than three runs in any of his last 10 starts. You might be surprised to realize how well this game shapes up for the Nationals.
Why Detroit Will Win
Any reputable betting agent will certainly give the Tigers a good shot at winning this game, not just because the Nationals’ offense is so poor, but also because Detroit slugger Miguel Cabrera, whose hip has not been healthy in recent days, has been able to get some needed time off. Cabrera got injured on Monday, July 22, in a game against the Chicago White Sox. He didn’t play again until Saturday, July 27, and in that contest, he played less than half the game because the Tigers were leading by a huge margin. Then, on Sunday, July 28, Cabrera got ejected from a game in the third inning. On Monday, he had a day off. Cabrera has played fewer than seven full innings over the past week. This should enable him to regain a measure of health. That will help the Tigers. Premier sports betting establishments will take note of such a reality.
Who Will Win?
The Tigers are in first place in their division, while Washington is under the .500 mark. Yet, with Verlander out of sorts, the Nationals own the big edge in the pitching matchup. Take Washington.
MLB Betting Pick: Washington
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