Pittsburgh Pirates vs Detroit Tigers Game 1 Pick – 6/19/2025

On June 19, 2025, the Detroit Tigers will host the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first game of a double-header at Comerica Park. This matchup marks the second game in the series, following a recent trend where the Tigers have been performing exceptionally well, currently holding a record of 47-27. In contrast, the Pirates find themselves struggling with a 29-45 record this season.

Detroit will send their ace, Tarik Skubal, to the mound, who is projected to be one of the league's elite pitchers this season. Skubal boasts a stellar Win/Loss record of 7-2 and an impressive ERA of 1.99. In his last outing, he delivered a complete game shutout, further solidifying his status as the 1st best starting pitcher in MLB according to advanced-stat Power Rankings. The projections suggest he will pitch around 6.3 innings, allowing only 1.6 earned runs while striking out an impressive 8.5 batters.

On the other side, the Pirates will counter with Andrew Heaney, who has struggled this season with a 3-5 record and a 3.33 ERA. Although Heaney’s ERA appears decent, his 4.16 xFIP indicates he may be due for a downturn in performance. The projections estimate he will pitch approximately 5.1 innings, yielding 2.9 earned runs and striking out only 4.5 batters on average.

With their ace on the mound here, the Tigers are significant favorites in this matchup. With a high implied team total of 4.47 runs, Detroit looks poised to capitalize on Pittsburgh's struggles.

Pittsburgh Pirates vs Detroit Tigers Game 1 Prediction

Predicted Final Score: Pittsburgh Pirates 3.54, Detroit Tigers 4.98

• Date: June 19, 2025
• Venue: Comerica Park
• Starting Pitchers:
  • Andrew Heaney - Pirates
  • Tarik Skubal - Tigers

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