Detroit Tigers @ Los Angeles Dodgers - March 28, 2025

As a seasoned bettor with years of experience, I’ve seen the highs and lows of MLB betting. This Friday night matchup between the Detroit Tigers and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium has me intrigued. The Dodgers are favored at -190, but I think there’s value to be found in taking a risk on the Tigers tonight.

Let’s break down what we have. The Tigers will send Jack Flaherty to the mound, who may not have a record yet this season (0-0), but he boasts a respectable 3.681 ERA with an impressive strikeout rate of 8.3 per game. We know that when pitchers can miss bats and keep runs off the board, they can disrupt even the strongest lineups, which is vital in this scenario.

On the other side, we have Yoshinobu Yamamoto for the Dodgers, who comes in with a solid record of 1-0 and an ERA of 3.966. While his stats aren’t shabby by any means, let’s not forget that any pitcher can be vulnerable on any given night — especially against a team looking to bounce back after an opening loss like Detroit.

Now let’s talk batting stats; it’s no secret that while both teams have talent at their disposal, their performance has been markedly different thus far in this young season. The Dodgers are averaging over five runs per game with nearly nine hits. Their batting average is sitting at .250, showing they’re capable of putting up numbers consistently.

However, here’s where things get interesting: Detroit has shown some resilience despite struggling offensively early on this season with just over four runs per game and a low batting average around .227. I’ve always believed that momentum matters as much as statistics do in baseball betting; if Flaherty can stymie Los Angeles’s offense early on, it could rattle them enough for Detroit’s hitters to find some rhythm later.

Moreover, considering how both teams went over their total last match-up (with nine combined runs), I see value in taking the under for this game tonight at seven total runs given Flaherty’s potential to limit damage coupled with Yamamoto’s own strong outings thus far.

The key here will be how well Flaherty keeps runners off base and manages scoring opportunities from LA while hoping that Detroit finds ways to capitalize when it counts most. It wouldn’t surprise me if this one turned into a tight contest—one run may decide it—and I’m feeling confident about riding with Detroit pulling off what would be considered an upset.

So there you have it: I’m predicting the Tigers will rise to the occasion tonight against the odds while keeping things under seven total runs scored. Remember folks: sometimes you need to trust your gut and embrace those superstitions — maybe wear your lucky cap or avoid stepping on cracks — because anything can happen once these players step onto that diamond!