The Detroit Tigers take on the Cincinnati Reds this Saturday night with the first pitch at 7:10 PM ET, so we’ve prepared the best betting pick and odds for this interleague showdown at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.

The Tigers and Reds face off in a three-game series, and Cincinnati opens as a firm -196 fave for Saturday’s middle contest (the opener has been excluded from this preview). Detroit sits at +180 moneyline odds on Bovada Sportsbook, while the totals are set at 9.0 runs.

The Tigers’ offense is a big issue   

The Detroit Tigers have scored just 39 runs over their last 12 outings (5-7 record) while slashing .237/.281/.398. After a hot streak in July, the Tigers’ offense has struggled a lot, while their pitching staff has improved a lot in the second half of the season. Over their previous 12 games, the Tigers have compiled a 3.22 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, and a .240 batting average against.

Matthew Boyd will take the hill Saturday in Cincinnati. The 30-year-old southpaw rejoined the Tigers’ rotation last Friday and took a loss in a tough 2-1 defeat at Toronto. He gave up two earned runs on four hits and a couple of walks across four frames of work.

Boyd is now 3-7 with a 3.50 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in 14 starts this season. He’s 1-2 with a 4.76 ERA and 1.29 WHIP in three career starts against the Reds, and Boyd has yielded nine earned runs in his two starts and nine frames of work at Great American Ball Park.

The Reds stopped their four-game slide last Wednesday

The Cincinnati Reds put an end to a four-game losing streak with a 12-2 thrashing of the St. Louis Cardinals last Wednesday in the second contest of a seven-inning doubleheader at home. They improved to 72-63 to retain the bottom wild card in the National League, half a game ahead of San Diego.

The Reds finally got things going against the left-handed starting pitcher, tallying eight hits and seven runs off J.A. Happ. Cincinnati has scored 50 runs in its last 12 showings while slashing .223/.284/.421.

Tyler Mahle will to the rubber Saturday against Detroit. He met the Tigers once in 2018 and took a win, tossing six runs of a two-run ball. The 26-year-old righty is 10-5 with a 3.64 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in 27 starts this season, but he’s pitched in a shaky form lately, yielding eight earned runs over his previous three outings and 17.2 innings of work. 

Trends:

Detroit:

  • 1-5 in the last six games overall

Cincinnati:

  • 5-2 in the last seven games at home

Detroit Tigers vs. Cincinnati Reds Pick

The Reds’ offense has been one of the best in the majors all season, especially against the righties. After a strong performance against A.J. Happ, Cincinnati will try to smash another southpaw, and the current Reds are slashing .256/.323/556 in 76 at-bats against Matthew Boyd.

Cincinnati needs more from Tyler Mahle, who’s been a true ace earlier in the season. Just three guys from the current Tigers have met him before, while Detroit owns a poor .693 OPS against the right-handed pitchers in 2021.

Pick: Take Cincinnati Reds at -196  

The Total:

Great American Ball Park is a hitter-friendly environment, and three of the Reds’ last five games have produced nine or more runs in total. On the other hand, the under is 6-2 in Cincinnati’s last eight games overall, and it is 9-3 in the Tigers’ last 12 outings at any location.

The totals look like a tricky wager here, so sticking with the betting trends might be the best move. The Tigers’ offense could easily continue to struggle, while their bullpen will try to shut down the Reds if Matthew Boyd gets into trouble.

Pick: Go under 9.0 runs at -110