San Francisco Giants at Detroit Tigers odds, picks and predictions

The San Francisco Giants (5-7) and Detroit Tigers (3-9) open a 3-game series in the Motor City on Friday with 1st pitch at Comerica Park slated for 6:40 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Giants vs. Tigers odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.

Season series: First meeting of 2023; split 4 games last season

San Francisco is coming off a 3-game home series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, losing 2 of 3. The Giants were idle Thursday.

The Tigers salvaged 1 game at Toronto to snap a 6-game losing streak when they downed the Blue Jays 3-1 Thursday. The early-season trailer in OPS (.575) had 5 doubles and 5 walks in that triumph.

Giants at Tigers projected starters

LHP Sean Manaea vs. LHP Joey Wentz

Manaea (0-0, 4.50 ERA) makes his 2nd start and 3rd appearance this season. He has a 1.00 WHIP, 3.4 BB/9 and 10.1 K/9 in 8 IP.

• Posted a 4.96 ERA, 1.30 WHIP in 158 IP for the San Diego Padres in 2022; has a 4.06 ERA across 161 career games
• Since 2021, owns a 3.50 ERA at home but a 5.15 mark on the road
• Has been banged around by current Tiger bats (.899 OPS allowed)

Wentz (0-2, 10.29 ERA) makes his 3rd start of the season. He has a 1.43 WHIP, 6.4 BB/9 and 3.9 K/9 in 7 IP.

• Had a 3.03 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 3.6 BB/9 and 7.4 K/9 in 7 starts last season
• Last pitched Saturday: 4 BB, 5 R in 1 2/3 IP vs. the Boston Red Sox

Giants at Tigers odds

BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 7:19 a.m. ET.

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Giants at Tigers picks and predictions

Prediction

Giants 4, Tigers 3

Wentz’s early-season struggles appear to be a continuation of a rough spring training (7.98 ERA). With the better offense and a reset bullpen after an off day, the visiting Giants are a lean. Don’t go past -135, though. PASS.

AVOID trying to get the Giants by with a multi-run margin in a game with a favorable Under.

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The Under is 7-0-1 in the last 8 series meetings.

With an inward wind and the shaky Detroit offense, the UNDER 8.5 (-105) is a value play. Both bullpens have been hurt by hard contact and unfairly so, going by percentage of fly balls leaving yards as home runs (Giants 20.5%, Tigers 21.4%). The starters have warts, but Manea’s past and Wentz’s talents indicate better days ahead.

The lefty-lefty match-up is s slight draw on the better of these 2 offenses, that of San Francisco.

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