Sunday Brings Us A Pitching Duel

Tigers vs. Yankees, 1:35 ET

When two historic franchises square off, I always wonder if there were people like me back in the early 1900's. Sure, there were bookies, we know that there were teams and players that took dives and were paid off. But, were there people writing articles or sharing their picks for who would win games? Obviously sports betting wasn't as prevalent as it was now (heck, it wasn't even this popular ten years ago). Surely there were bookies and everything back then, but was someone writing about the Tigers taking on the Yankees like we are now? 

The Tigers are playing like a throwback version of the team. They are above .500 and looking to make a big leap this season after not making the playoffs for the past 10 seasons. Detroit is relying on their pitching staff to get them there. I can't think of another team in recent memory who has developed pitching faster than they have. Their staff was nothing special a couple of years ago, but last year they were able to turn one pitcher into a trade deadline deal. They also had another they tried to trade and he declined the trade. Now they have a 3.12 ERA and are pitching well from both the rotation and the bullpen. Their team has a WHIP of 1.10 which is correlated to that low ERA. They just aren't allowing hitters to get on-base. Clean base paths make it easier on the pitcher because they don't need to worry as much about mistakes. And, to be honest, this team would be terrible if they had an ERA a run higher because the team is not hitting very well at all. Tarik Skubal is pitching for the Tigers today, and he has been great this season. So far, he has a 1.72 ERA and a 0.74 WHIP. His WHIP is second-best in the Majors. He hasn't allowed more than five hits in any game this season and has a quality start in four of his six outings this year. He has allowed two or fewer earned runs in five of his six games as well. To put it simply: Skubal has been dominant. Yankees hitters have shown some success against him though as he has allowed 11 hits in just 36 at-bats against him to the Bronx Bombers. 

Detroit Tigers LHP Tarik Skubal delivers against the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field. (Matt Marton-USA TODAY Sports)

The Yankees are also off to the start they envisioned. This is probably the way they thought last year would go. Losing three of four games to the Orioles wasn't what they wanted, but aside from that blip, they have played very good baseball. The team is hitting rather well, still getting the homers when needed, and finding ways to manufacture runs when they can't put the ball over the fence. The biggest change from this year to last year is that their pitching staff has been great. The team's ERA is hovering around three, and their WHIP is at roughly 1.20. Keeping people off the basepaths has been a key for them, but even when their pitchers fall, they do have the offense to make a difference. Today, Nestor Cortes takes the ball for New York. Cortes has a 3.86 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP, but he has been great at home. This season he has a 1.23 ERA in New York and a 6.75 ERA on the road. He has made one more start on the road but has thrown two fewer innings. Cortes has only faced three Tigers hitters but he has been able to hold them to just two hits in 12 at-bats. Neither of those hits have gone for extra-bases. 

The situation in this game is that you have two good pitchers squaring off. The Yankees have a guy who is much more comfortable in his home stadium, and the Tigers have a guy who has been virtually unhittable this season. This game should go under the total. I do think the Yankees probably win, but I have a hard time picking a side in a game that might end 2-1. I'll back just the under in this one. 

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