Blue Jays vs Tigers Prediction, Odds & Best Bet for July 7 (Alek Manoah Makes Return to MLB Mound)

The Toronto Blue Jays (48-40) will look to keep pace in a crowded American League Wild Card race when they visit the Detroit Tigers (38-48) at Comerica Park on Friday night.

Blue Jays vs Tigers Game Info

• Date: Friday, July 7, 2023
• Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
• Venue: Comerica Park -- Detroit, MI
• Coverage: Sportsnet and Bally Sports Detroit

Toronto took two of three games from Detroit inside the Rogers Centre back in April and will now look to replicate that success on the road this time around. The Blue Jays enter Friday fresh off a sweep of the Chicago White Sox, while the Tigers just lost two of three home games to the Oakland Athletics.

Blue Jays vs Tigers Odds & Spread

• All MLB betting lines, odds and prop bets are from FanDuel Sportsbook.
• Moneyline: TOR: (-134) | DET: (+114)
• Spread: TOR: -1.5 (+118) | DET: +1.5 (-142)
• Total: 9 -- Over: (-118) | Under: (-104)

The Blue Jays enter this contest as small road favorites on the moneyline and spread per FanDuel Sportsbook's odds. This 6:40 p.m. ET clash also features an over/under of 9 runs with the Over favored at -118 odds.

Blue Jays vs Tigers Betting Trends

• Toronto is 4-1 straight up in its last five games against the AL Central.
• The total has hit the under in seven of Toronto's last nine games.
• Detroit is 6-12 straight up in its last 18 home games.
• The total has hit the over in six of Detroit's last nine games.

Blue Jays vs Tigers Prediction & Pick

This is not a game baseball fans will want to tune in for if they want to see great pitching. Alek Manoah is back on the mound for the first time in over a month as he sports a 6.39 ERA and 1.90 WHIP in 13 starts (1-7 record). Meanwhile, Alex Faedo takes the ball for Detroit behind a 5.54 ERA in five starts.

That makes diving into the offenses and the bullpens crucial here. Toronto holds an edge in both categories considering it ranks ninth in on-base percentage (.327) and sixth in bullpen ERA (3.73). Detroit only ranks 26th in on-base percentage (.301) and 15th in bullpen ERA (3.98) this season.

Even if Manoah puts together another dreadful performance, the Blue Jays have the offensive firepower and late-inning pitching depth needed to squeak out a victory on Friday. It doesn't hurt that the Tigers have lost a whopping 15 of their last 17 games against an AL East opponent as well.

Final Score Prediction: Blue Jays: 7 | Tigers: 5

Blue Jays vs Tigers Best Bet

Backing the over on the run total is an enticing option, but I'm going to switch gears to the pitcher prop market. While Alex Faedo has struggled to keep runs from scoring, he hasn't struggled to rack up strikeouts. The 27-year-old has tallied at least 4 strikeouts in each of his last four starts and now faces a lineup that is never afraid to swing for the fences. That should result in some swings & misses.

Bet: Alex Faedo Over 3.5 Strikeouts (-136)

Larry Rupp is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Larry Rupp also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username phillyfan424. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel. 

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.