Detroit Tigers @ New York Yankees

New York Yankees -340

Games Total: 8.5

Game Play Predictions

Detroit Tigers

  • J.A. Happ has been practically perfect in every way since joining the Yankees, going 5-0 with a 2.37 ERA.
  • Happ allowed two runs on five hits in six innings in his last start, Saturday against Baltimore.
  • Happ has struggled against Detroit this season, allowing 11 runs on 15 hits in 10.2 innings across two starts.
  • The Tigers are looking to snap a five-game losing streak during which they have hit .222 and scored 10 runs.
  • Detroit has scored three runs or fewer in 14 of its last 24 games.
  • Only the Marlins and Giants have a lower OBP in August than Detroit’s .297 mark.
  • The Tigers have struggled on the road, with a league-worst .280 wOBA away from home.
  • Detroit has a 7.2 percent walk rate on the road, ranking 23rd in MLB. Their 23.1 percent strikeout rate on the road is the 11th highest.
  • The Tigers have been slightly better against lefties, with a .307 wOBA and 20.6 percent strikeout rate.
  • That being said, Detroit’s 6.5 percent walk rate against lefties is the worst in baseball.
  • The Tigers will be without shortstop José Iglesias , who was placed on the 10-day disabled list Thursday with a lower abdominal strain.
  • Mikie Mahtook is the only Tiger who is hitting right now, going 9-for-20 with three home runs during his current six-game hitting streak. Even so, he has eight strikeouts and zero walks over that span.
  • On the other end of the spectrum, Victor Martínez is 2-for-16 over the last week. Victor Reyes is 1-for-17 and James McCann is 2-for-11 over the last seven days.

New York Yankees

  • The Yankees have the best walk rate in baseball against lefties at 10.6 percent. Their 22.8 percent strikeout rate against lefties ranks 12th.
  • The Yankees have the third highest wOBA against lefties at .340.
  • The Yankees are facing Francisco Liriano at a good time, though there isn’t really a bad time to face him. Liriano has a 4.82 ERA on the season and is 0-8 in his last 16 appearances dating back to April 28.
  • Liriano is 0-3 with a 5.48 ERA in five career appearances at Yankee Stadium.
  • Liriano’s 13.4 percent walk rate is the second worst among pitchers with at least 100 innings pitched this season. Only Tyler Chatwood has been worse.
  • Like Chatwood, Liriano hasn’t compensated for his lack of control with increased strikeouts. Liriano has a 17.9 percent strikeout rate this season, ranking 21st among pitchers with at least 100 innings.
  • As if that wasn’t enough, Liriano has allowed 1.49 HR/9 this season, 17th highest in MLB.
  • In case you were wondering, the Yankees still have the most home runs in baseball at 215, 39 ahead of the next closest team.
  • For as good as the Yankees have been this season, they have just been average in August, with a .321 wOBA, 9.4 percent walk rate and 20.9 percent strikeout rate.
  • The Yankees have the second highest home OPS in baseball, at .821. They trail only the Red Sox.
  • Their 10.5 percent walk rate at home is the highest in baseball.
  • Giancarlo Stanton is riding the struggle bus of late, going 2-for-26 over his last seven games.
  • Stanton isn’t the only one. Greg Bird is 1-for-11 over the last seven days, and Ronald Torreyes is 3-for-18.
  • On the other hand, Miguel Andujar is 11-for-30 with eight RBI over the last seven days. Luke Voit is 9-for-20 with three home runs and Gleyber Torres is 9-for-22 with two homers and two stolen bases over that span.