by Chuck Sommers
Sunday, May 01, 2022
Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
Venue: Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
Where to watch: Bally Sports Detroit, SportsNet LA
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Dodgers -250, Tigers +200
BetMGM: Dodgers -250, Tigers +200
Caesars: Dodgers -250, Tigers +200
Season record
Tigers: 7-13
Dodgers: 13-7
We're fresh into this baseball season and of course it's AAA Sports jumping out to an 11-5-0 start in Major League Baseball over the course of the last week. We've seen some exciting games and some awesome moments, but what will happen as April continues for the better? Catch AAA's plays available right now at the Shop Picks page, where you can find all of the Best Bets from our champion sports handicappers.
Tigers - Dodgers preview and analysis
Things didn’t look promising for the Detroit Tigers early on Saturday when Mookie Betts cleared one 406 feet to put the Los Angeles Dodgers on the board. That was the only blunder Beau Brieske had in five innings of work, and the Tigers used a 3-run seventh to break a 1-1 tie and beat the Dodgers 5-1 at Dodger Stadium.
Now, the Tigers – after losing 5-1 in the first game of the series on Friday – ended their six-game losing streak and can now secure their first series win since mid-April when the finale happens on Sunday.
Javy Baez tied the game in the third with an RBI single, and then the Tigers’ prized free agent acquisition broke the tie in the seventh with an RBI double. Austin Meadows followed that with a two-run single shortly after to push the lead to 4-1.
The Tigers might not be there just yet with the youth movement on the way, especially with Spencer Torkelson batting .190 to start his major league career, but there’s enough talent to make this group play spoiler down the road. You never know in this league.
Jeimer Candelario went 2-for-3 and scored twice to raise his batting average to a staggering .159, and Meadows has become a tremendous acquisition by going 3-for-4 and pushing his average to .328. There are pieces for Detroit. If they can get that same consistency that Brieske showed in Saturday’s game, that’ll help down the road.
The Dodgers, meanwhile, have been a tad inconsistent since winning seven in a row. That includes a current run of three losses in four games that is highlighted by a three-game series loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Betts carried the offense in Saturday’s game with two of the Dodgers’ four hits, which of course with this lineup is not a promising situation. The Dodgers clearly need more out of their bats, especially when Clayton Kershaw gives you six innings of four-hit ball with seven strikeouts.
Chris Taylor and Gavin Lux were the only other Dodgers players that got in the hit column. When Freddie Freeman, Trea Turner and Max Muncy combine for 0-for-10 and two walks, that’s not an ideal situation.
Walker Buehler is taking the mound for the Dodgers against Eduardo Rodriguez, and if the Dodgers don’t get run support for Buehler, maybe things aren’t as rosy as they should be to begin the year.
Prediction
That being said, I think the Dodgers will find their way to get the bats going. Can’t let it happen in two straight games. I refuse to believe that, especially against the Tigers. Dodgers win 6-1
Betting trends
Tigers are 15-16 the past three years as an underdog of +200 or more.
Tigers are 23-19 in interleague games the past three seasons.
Dodgers are 86-25 the past three seasons as favorites of -200 or more.
Projected lineup
Tigers:
Robbie Grossman (S) LF
Javier Baez (R) SS
Miguel Cabrera (R) DH
Austin Meadows (L) RF
Spencer Torkelson (R) 1B
Jonathan Schoop (R) 2B
Jeimer Candelario (S) 3B
Dustin Garneau (R) C
Derek Hill (R) CF
SP - Eduardo Rodriguez
Robbie Grossman (S) LF
Javier Baez (R) SS
Miguel Cabrera (R) DH
Austin Meadows (L) RF
Spencer Torkelson (R) 1B
Jonathan Schoop (R) 2B
Jeimer Candelario (S) 3B
Dustin Garneau (R) C
Derek Hill (R) CF
SP - Eduardo Rodriguez
Dodgers:
Mookie Betts (R) RF
Freddie Freeman (L) 1B
Trea Turner (R) SS
Max Muncy (L) 3B
Justin Turner (R) DH
Cody Bellinger (L) CF
Chris Taylor (R) LF
Gavin Lux (L) 2B
Austin Barnes (R) C
SP - Walker Buehler
Mookie Betts (R) RF
Freddie Freeman (L) 1B
Trea Turner (R) SS
Max Muncy (L) 3B
Justin Turner (R) DH
Cody Bellinger (L) CF
Chris Taylor (R) LF
Gavin Lux (L) 2B
Austin Barnes (R) C
SP - Walker Buehler
Statistical leaders
Tigers:
Batting average: Austin Meadows -- .328
Hits: Austin Meadows -- 21
Home runs: Spencer Torkelson -- 3
RBI: Two tied -- 11
Wins: Jacob Barnes -- 2
Saves: Gregory Soto -- 3
ERA: Tarik Skubal -- 3.05
Dodgers:
Batting average: Freddie Freeman -- .299
Hits: Freddie Freeman -- 23
Home runs: Cody Bellinger -- 4
RBI: Trea Turner -- 17
Wins: Clayton Kershaw -- 3
Saves: Craig Kimbrel -- 3
ERA: Clayton Kershaw -- 2.35
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Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
