Detroit Tigers vs. Tampa Bay Rays Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 5/16/2022

Time: 6:40 p.m. ET

Venue: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL

Where to watch: Bally Sports Detroit, Bally Sports Sun

DraftKings: Check back later

BetMGM: Check back later

Caesars: Check back later

Tigers: 11-23

Rays: 20-14

It's been a rough go lately for the Detroit Tigers, trying to process a rebuild as quickly as possible while making what could be the final year of Miguel Cabrera's MLB career a memorable one. But two wins in a row over the Baltimore Orioles will at least make something worth cheering about.

The Tigers took the series over the struggling Orioles with a 3-0 win on Saturday in which Detroit combined to use six pitchers and got he win. The only reason why they did it was because starter Michael Pineda fractured his right middle finger and the Tigers will have to do some things they've never done before.

Six relievers combined for a shutout in what was one of the Tigers' most complete wins.

“We want that vibe. We want that winning vibe,” said Jeimer Candelario, who played a part in two of the four double plays the Tigers infield turned, including a key one on Anthony Santander after a leadoff single in the ninth. “That’s the chemistry. That’s what we did last year. If we have that vibe, we know we can go out there and win another ballgame.”

Pineda took a line drive off his figure that went 105.9 miles per hour. One, yikes. Two, balls should not be hitting off players with that velocity.

“When we went out there, we thought it was his hand,” manager A.J. Hinch said, “and then you could see his finger swell up, he couldn’t bend it.”

Ouch, and then some.

The Tampa Bay Rays have taken a slight step back early in the season, knowing they're not on the same wavelength as the red-hot New York Yankees right now. They're only 4.5 games back of the Yankees as of Sunday morning, but you know the defending division champions should want to be better right now.

Entering Sunday, the Rays are trying to finish off their three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays but are coming off a 5-1 loss on Saturday. Toronto scored four runs in the eighth inning, and the Rays' bats were silenced after just six hits.

Defense didn't even help with two errors. All in all, it wasn't good. Ryan Thompson, one of the better relievers in the game, gave up two homers in the eighth inning.

“I’ve already rewatched every pitch I threw,’’ Thompson said. “I stand by the pitches I threw and I stand by the locations I threw them. … Some of the pitches I threw were out of the zone. The pitch to Teoscar that he hit out, it was the right pitch and the right location. He just beat me. The home run to Jansen, [it was] one of the worst sinkers I threw on the analytics, but as far as the location and the count [first pitch], I’ll throw that pitch all day. Jansen beat me there. The name of the game today was it wasn’t my day, and it was theirs.’’

The Rays are still a good team, it's just weird seeing them take a step back after how good they were last year. Honestly, if they could ever figure out what to do with this pitching situation, they'd be much better off.

Not really feeling the Tigers right now, and if we're looking for a chance for the Rays to start getting some consistent winning, facing a struggling Detroit team is one way to go. Rays win 7-4

Check back later for trends.

Tigers:
Robbie Grossman (S) LF
Javier Baez (R) SS
Austin Meadows (L) RF
Miguel Cabrera (R) DH
Jonathan Schoop (R) 2B
Victor Reyes (S) CF
Harold Castro (L) 3B
Spencer Torkelson (R) 1B
Tucker Barnhart (S) C
SP - Alex Faedo

Rays:
Brandon Lowe (L) DH
Wander Franco (S) SS
Harold Ramirez (R) RF
Ji-Man Choi (L) 1B
Randy Arozarena (R) LF
Francisco Mejia (S) C
Vidal Brujan (S) 2B
Brett Phillips (L) CF
Taylor Walls (S) 3B
SP - Corey Kluber

Batting average: Miguel Cabrera -- .287

Hits: Miguel Cabrera -- 31

Home runs: Spencer Torkelson -- 3

RBI: Miguel Cabrera -- 12

Wins: Jacob Barnes -- 3

Saves: Gregory Soto -- 5

ERA: Eduardo Rodriguez -- 3.72

Batting average: Wander Franco -- .286

Hits: Wander Franco -- 38

Home runs: Brandon Lowe -- 5

RBI: Manuel Margot -- 21

Wins: Three tied -- 3

Saves: Andrew Kittredge -- 4

ERA: Shane McClanahan -- 2.52