Today’s MLB Picks: Jays vs. Tigers 5/23/24

Toronto Blue Jays vs. Detroit Tigers
Date: Thursday, May 23rd, 6:40 ET
Location: Comerica Park
TV: BSDET
Money Line: Blue Jays -115/Tigers -106
Total Line: 7.5

Betting Preview

Here’s our betting preview for the upcoming MLB clash between the Detroit Tigers and the Blue Jays on Thursday, May 23rd at Comerica Park. We provide you with a comprehensive analysis, odds, and predictions to help with your handicapping decision or tail our expert based on the projected lineups and listed starting pitchers.

Betting Odds

The forecast looks good for Thursday’s Blue Jays vs. Tigers game, with the temperature sitting in the upper 70s and partly cloudy skies in Detroit. The over/under line is currently at 7.5 runs, and the Blue Jays are favored on the money line (-115).

First pitch from Comerica Park is set for 6:40 PM ET, and BSDET will be televising this AL matchup. Kevin Gausman is starting for the Blue Jays, while Jack Flaherty goes for the Tigers. Detroit is currently on a four-game winning streak, and they are 4th in the AL Central, while the Blue Jays are 5th in the AL East.

Blue Jays vs. Tigers Projected Lineup

Straight Up/Over-Under/ Runline Record

Toronto Blue Jays: 22-26 SU / OU 20-27 / Runline 22-26
Detroit Tigers: 23-26 SU / OU 26-21 / Runline 21-28

Blue Jays Records & Recent Play

To close out their series vs. the White Sox, the Blue Jays picked up a 9-2 win. Leading up to the game, they were the heavy favorite at -244. It was a seven-run 2nd inning that really turned things in their favor, and the White Sox could only score two runs, both of which came in the 4th.

Chris Bassitt put together a good start for the Blue Jays, going seven innings and not giving up a run. He also issued just two walks and struck out four White Sox batters. Toronto’s offense was carried by Bo Bichette, who went 2/4 with a homer and three RBIs.

Toronto is on the road today vs. the Tigers with an overall record of 22-26, which puts them 5th in the AL East. They trail the Yankees by 10.5 games and are 7-8 in the division. The Blue Jays are coming off a series win, taking two of three from the White Sox.

At home, the Blue Jays have gone 12-12 this year compared to 10-14 on the road. So far, they have been good as the favorite, going 17-13, and they are just 5-13 as the underdog. Toronto’s overall series record is 5-8-3 this year, and they will be kicking off a new series today.

When the Blue Jays win, they win big, with an average run margin of +3.1, but they are just 22-26 against the run line overall this season. They are 12-12 on the road and have covered the run line in three straight road games. They are 15-15 against the run line as the favorite and 7-11 as the underdog.

The Toronto Blue Jays are on the road today facing the Detroit Tigers. The over/under line for the game is set at 7.5 runs. The Blue Jays have had a combined run average of 8.4 runs per game this season, and their over/under record is 20-27. The average over/under line for their games is 8 runs, and when the line is set at 7.5 runs, their record is 6-5. Overall, 70.8% of their games this season have had over/under lines set higher than 7.5 runs.

Tigers Records & Recent Play

The Tigers will be looking to get back on track after closing out their series vs. the Royals with an 8-3 loss. Detroit was actually the slight favorite on the money line going into the game but fell behind big early, as the Royals scored four times in the second.

Offensively, the Tigers only had three fewer hits than the Royals but scored just three runs. All of their runs came in the 7th inning. Andy Ibanez was only 1/4 but drove in two runs. The Tigers also got a good outing from Tarik Skubal, who went five innings and gave up four earned runs on six hits.

Detroit will host the Blue Jays today with an overall record of 23-26, putting them 4th in the AL Central. The Tigers are 9.5 games behind the Guardians for the AL Central lead. They will try to snap a four-game losing streak today, as they dropped the final game of their series vs. the Mariners and were then swept by the Royals in a three-game series.

At home, the Tigers are 10-13 this season and 13-13 on the road. Detroit has dropped three straight games as the underdog, and they are 2-4 as the underdog at home. The Tigers’ overall series record is 7-7-2 this season.

When betting the run line with the Tigers, it’s been better to take them on the road than at home. Detroit is 15-11 vs. the run line on the road, but just 6-17 at home. They have been the underdog in 26 of their 49 games, going 16-10 vs. the run line in those contests. The Tigers have been the favorite in 23 games, but have gone just 5-18 vs. the run line in those games.

The Detroit Tigers have been a consistent over team this season, with an over/under record of 26-21. Their games have averaged 8.2 runs per game, and the over has hit in six straight games. The over/under line for today’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays is set at 7.5 runs, which is slightly lower than their season average of 8 runs per game.

Pitching Matchup

The Blue Jays are sending right-hander Kevin Gausman to the mound today vs. the Tigers. He has made nine starts this season and has a record of 2-3 with an ERA of 4.89. Gausman’s WHIP for the season is 1.51, and he has issued just 2.34 walks per nine innings. Gausman’s last outing came on May 18th vs. the Rays, where he finished with a no-decision. In that start, he gave up three earned runs on six hits in six innings of work. Before that outing, he had picked up the win in two straight starts.

Through nine starts, Jack Flaherty has a record of 1-3 and an ERA of 3.79. He has made seven quality starts this year and is coming off an outing in which he gave up just two earned runs. In that May 18th start vs. the Diamondbacks, he pitched six innings and got the win. Flaherty’s WHIP for the season is currently 1.06, and he is averaging 11.85 strikeouts per nine innings. For the year, he has a total of 72 strikeouts. Flaherty has been much better on the road, with a record of 1-1 and an ERA of 3.54, compared to 0-2 with a 4.33 ERA at home.

Blue Jays vs. Tigers Offense Outlook

Overall, the Blue Jays are averaging just 3.8 runs per game, which is the worst mark in the league. They also have one of the worst home run totals in the league and are batting just .229 as a team. However, they do have a few guys who have been swinging the bat well of late, including Bo Bichette, who has gone 11/29 in his last eight games.

For the season, Daulton Varsho leads the team with eight home runs but is batting just .212. Davis Schneider is 2nd on the team with five homers and is batting .246. Danny Jansen has the best batting average on the team at .319 and also has five homers.

Over the past 10 games, Kerry Carpenter has gone deep three times for the Tigers, but he is hitting just .175 during that stretch. For the season, he is batting .281 and leads the team with 25 RBIs. Riley Greene is batting just .239 this season but is 9th in the league with nine homers. He is also 3rd on the team with 20 RBIs.

One of the Tigers’ hottest hitters right now is Colt Keith, who has gone 13/29 in his last nine games. This stretch has him on a four-game hitting streak. Overall, he is batting .224. As a team, the Tigers are averaging 4.1 runs per game and are 16th in batting average.

Free Blue Jays vs. Tigers MLB Pick

Our prediction for this Blue Jays vs. Tigers matchup is to take the Blue Jays on the money line, with the payout sitting at -115. Looking at the starting pitchers, we have Kevin Gausman finishing with six strikeouts, which is better than Jack Flaherty, who we have finishing with five.