Detroit @ Texas picks

With Nathan Eovaldi limiting Tigers hitters to a .505 OPS over his career and Detroit southpaw Tarik Skubal favored to repeat as the AL Cy Young winner, expect runs to be at a premium in Arlington.

The losing streak ends tonight for the Tigers with lefty Tarik Skubal toeing the rubber. He’s turned in a tidy 2.23 ERA, 0.83 WHIP and 2.35 xFIP with an impressive 33.4 K%, and the Rangers have been a mess against southpaws with a 27th-ranked .275 wOBA and the ninth-highest strikeout percentage (24.3%). Texas also has Jacob Latz making a spot start, and he’s only started three games in his career. The 29-year-old lefty will be in tough, too. The Detroit lineup has teed off on lefties with a fourth-ranked .332 wOBA and sixth-ranked .174 ISO.

It is expected that we will see a Huge Hitters Umpire (Alfonso Marquez) calling pitches in today's game.. Given that groundball hitters have a notable edge over flyball pitchers, Tarik Skubal and his 44% underlying GB% (via the leading projection system, THE BAT) finds himself in a tough position in this game going up against 2 opposing GB hitters.. Playing on the road generally lessens pitcher metrics in all categories due to the lack of home field advantage, which ought to be the case for Tarik Skubal in today's matchup.. In his last GS, Tarik Skubal struggled when it came to striking batters out and only managed to post 2 Ks.. Tarik Skubal has used his sinker 5.8% more often this season (26.3%) than he did last year (20.5%).

The leading projection system (THE BAT X) projects Gleyber Torres in the 91st percentile when it comes to his batting average skill.. Gleyber Torres is penciled in 2nd on the lineup card today.. Globe Life Field has the 8th-shortest average fence height in MLB.. Nathan Eovaldi will hold the platoon advantage over Gleyber Torres in today's game.. Gleyber Torres has been hot of late, raising his seasonal exit velocity of 90-mph to 97.5-mph in the past 7 days.

Wenceel Perez is penciled in 5th in the lineup in this game.. Globe Life Field has the 8th-shortest average fence height in MLB.. Wenceel Perez's ability to hit the ball at a HR-maximizing launch angle (between 23° and 34°) has increased from last year to this one, rising from 14.1% to 24.8%.. In the last 14 days, Wenceel Perez's 27.8% rate of hitting balls at a HR-optimizing launch angle (between 23° and 34°) shows big improvement over his seasonal rate of 24.8%.. In notching a .320 Isolated Power (ISO) this year, Wenceel Perez has performed in the 88th percentile.

The leading projection system (THE BAT X) projects Riley Greene as the 6th-best batter in baseball when estimating his BABIP ability.. Riley Greene is projected to bat 3rd in the lineup today.. Globe Life Field has the 8th-shortest average fence height in MLB.. Over the last 14 days, Riley Greene has significantly improved the launch angle on his highest exit velocity balls: 32.7° compared to his seasonal mark of 19.5°.. Riley Greene's ability to hit the ball at a HR-maximizing launch angle (between 23° and 34°) has increased from last year to this one, going from 17.9% to 22.8%.

As it relates to his home run skill, Adolis Garcia ranks in the 93rd percentile according to the leading projection system (THE BAT X).. Adolis Garcia is projected to bat 4th on the lineup card today.. Globe Life Field has the 8th-shortest average fence height in MLB.. Hitting from the opposite that Tarik Skubal throws from, Adolis Garcia will have an edge in today's matchup.. Among every team on the slate today, the 2nd-worst infield defense is that of the the Detroit Tigers.

The leading projection system (THE BAT X) projects Riley Greene as the 6th-best batter in baseball when estimating his BABIP ability.. Riley Greene is projected to bat 3rd in the lineup today.. Globe Life Field has the 8th-shortest average fence height in MLB.. Over the last 14 days, Riley Greene has significantly improved the launch angle on his highest exit velocity balls: 32.7° compared to his seasonal mark of 19.5°.. Riley Greene's ability to hit the ball at a HR-maximizing launch angle (between 23° and 34°) has increased from last year to this one, going from 17.9% to 22.8%.

The leading projection system (THE BAT X) projects Spencer Torkelson in the 93rd percentile as it relates to his home run ability.. Spencer Torkelson is projected to hit 4th on the lineup card today.. Globe Life Field has the 8th-shortest average fence height in MLB.. Hitting from the same side that Nathan Eovaldi throws from, Spencer Torkelson will not have the upper hand in today's game.. Spencer Torkelson's ability to hit the ball at a HR-maximizing launch angle (between 23° and 34°) has gotten better from last season to this one, rising from 17.6% to 27.9%.

Kyle Higashioka has primarily hit in the back-half of the batting order this season (96% of the time), but he is penciled in 5th in the lineup today.. Globe Life Field has the 8th-shortest average fence height in MLB.. Batting from the opposite that Tarik Skubal throws from, Kyle Higashioka will have the upper hand in today's matchup.. Extreme flyball bats like Kyle Higashioka tend to be more successful against extreme groundball pitchers like Tarik Skubal.. Among every team on the slate today, the worst infield defense is that of the the Detroit Tigers.

Globe Life Field has the 8th-shortest average fence height in MLB.. The switch-hitting Jonah Heim will hold the platoon advantage while batting from from his good side (0) today against Tarik Skubal.. Among every team on the slate today, the 2nd-worst infield defense is that of the the Detroit Tigers.. Jonah Heim will have the benefit of the home field advantage in today's game, which ought to improve all of his stats.. Jonah Heim's ability to hit the ball at a HR-optimizing launch angle (between 23° and 34°) has gotten better from last season to this one, rising from 11.1% to 14.8%.

Wenceel Perez is penciled in 5th in the lineup in this game.. Globe Life Field has the 8th-shortest average fence height in MLB.. Wenceel Perez's ability to hit the ball at a HR-maximizing launch angle (between 23° and 34°) has increased from last year to this one, rising from 14.1% to 24.8%.. In the last 14 days, Wenceel Perez's 27.8% rate of hitting balls at a HR-optimizing launch angle (between 23° and 34°) shows big improvement over his seasonal rate of 24.8%.. In notching a .320 Isolated Power (ISO) this year, Wenceel Perez has performed in the 88th percentile.