The Arizona Diamondbacks have taken the lead in the NL West. Their 37-25 record (as of publication) trails only four teams. Let’s dive into the betting odds for Saturday afternoon’s Diamondbacks-Tigers game to make our MLB predictions and pick the best bet. We’ll also go over whether it’s a good spot to take advantage of the early win bonus at DraftKings.
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Best MLB Diamondbacks-Tigers Betting Pick & Prediction: Arizona Stays Hot
Diamondbacks-Tigers Odds
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook
D-backs: -130 | Tigers: +105
Over 8.5: -115 | Over 8.5: -105
We’ve got a battle of struggling pitchers on Saturday morning. The Detroit Tigers will start LHP Matthew Boyd (3-4), whose 5.57 ERA far eclipses his 4.02 xERA. The Arizona Diamondbacks will start RHP Ryne Nelson (2-3), whose 5.40 ERA slightly eclipses his 5.06 xERA. These numbers suggest that both pitchers have gotten unlucky — but Boyd far more so.
The D-backs should have an edge at the plate. Arizona ranks eighth in weighted on-base average, or wOBA, at .331, but a miserable 21st in expected weighted on-base average, or xwOBA, at .316. Detroit ranks an embarrassing 30th in wOBA at .285 but a slightly more respectable 24th in xwOBA at .313. The Tigers wouldn’t be a good offense even if they had breakeven luck.
The betting trends and splits don’t point to a slam-dunk option on either side. Arizona has been a solid road team with the MLB”s fourth-best away record at 17-11. However, they are a much less impressive 7-5 as an away favorite. Detroit has gone 15-14 at home and are 11-12 as home underdogs. The D-backs own a steady OPS of .752 against left-handed pitchers like Boyd; the Tigers own an OPS atrocious of .624 against right-handed pitchers like Nelson.
Ultimately, Arizona’s respectable form against left-handed pitching and far more impressive offensive numbers make them a rightful favorite for Saturday afternoon’s action. Let’s lock them in on the moneyline to take advantage of the early win bonus at DraftKings — they simply have to lead by two runs at any point to make this one a winner. If you’re yet to sign up at DraftKings, you can get $200 in bonus bets after placing any $5 wager!
Best Diamondbacks-Tigers MLB Pick: Arizona Moneyline -130 at DraftKings
