MLB Baseball
2025-08-14 - Detroit Tigers at Minnesota Twins
A Sports Betting Pick by FirstDown
United States : MLB Baseball
Thursday 14th August 2025 - Scheduled 7:40pm
12:40am (British Time)
Preview
The double digit lead at the top of the American League Central may have shrunk, but the Detroit Tigers (70-52) have won four of the last six games and should be moving clear of the slump suffered around the All Star Break. The Number 1 Seed in the wide open American League has to be the target the rest of the way as they prepare to begin this four game series with a Divisional rival.
Both teams were winning on Wednesday night and the Minnesota Twins (57-63) have won five of their last eight games. They were winners in the Bronx for the first time in two years and, despite the fire-sale at the trade deadline, the Twins may yet have an impact in the Wild Card race.
Minnesota will give the ball to Bailey Ober in the opener of this four game set, a pitcher who has a 4-7 record and 5.16 ERA in nineteen starts made in 2025. There is an expected room for improvement considering the standard set by Ober in his first four years in the Major League, but it has been tough for him.
In a run of six starts from June through to early August (with a month out of the rotation in July), Bailey Ober had a 0-5 record and 8.74 ERA and he could not get out of his own way. He will at least feel better about ending that sequence when throwing 6 Innings against the Kansas City Royals and allowing one earned, although Bailey Ober was handed a hard luck loss.
He faced the Detroit Tigers at the end of June and allowed seven runs into the 6th Inning and Bailey Ober is now 4-3 with a 4.05 ERA in twelve career starts against them.
The Twins will need their pitcher to be at his best as they are preparing to face Tarik Skubal who has an 11-3 record and 2.35 ERA in twenty-three starts made. The ERA is set to be his best yet in the Major League and Tarik Skubal did not give up a single run in 7 Innings thrown against Minnesota back in June.
He has allowed seven runs in two August starts and Tarik Skubal is looking to bounce back from his worst start of the season when allowing four runs and failing to get through 5 Innings against the Los Angeles Angels. And as well as the pitcher is throwing, it has to be noted that the Detroit batting lineup have not always back Skubal up, which is highlighted by the face he has one decision win in his last six starts.
Tarik Skubal now has a 5-3 record and 3.17 ERA in thirteen career starts against this Divisional rival.
The Tigers have won five and lost four of the nine games played against the Minnesota Twins this season ahead of this four game set.
Prediction
Bailey Ober showed some improvement in his last start, but he will be tested having had some rough times prior to that.
He will need to pitch well to keep up with Tarik Skubal, who is looking to bounce back from a couple of disappointing starts.
Both have had some success against the team they are facing, but the Tigers have just begun to pick up some momentum and can win this one by a couple of runs behind their ace.
The Pick :
Minnesota Twins 2-5 Detroit Tigers
