The Detroit Tigers are hoping to take advantage of the wide-open American League Central in 2023.
Detroit finished in fourth place in the Central, 26 games behind the first-place Cleveland Guardians. Although the Tigers are picked to finish near the bottom of the division standings again, they should improve on their 66-96 finish from 2022.
Let’s take a look at the Tigers’ outlook for 2023.
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Tigers Top Betting Odds 2023
Tigers MLB betting odds are current as of March 6, 2023, from Caesars Sportsbook.
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- World Series Winners: +10000
- Win American League pennant: +5000
- Win AL Central title: +2500
- Over/Under Win Total: 69.5
The Tigers are extreme long shots to represent the American League or win the World Series. They ranked dead last in baseball in runs scored (557) and had the fifth-worst team ERA in the American League (4.04), which is a big reason why they had the third-worst record in the league and finished just a game out of the Central basement.
Detroit’s marquee free agent splash was pitcher Michael Lorenzen, who signed a one-year deal. The club also non-tendered third baseman Jeimer Candelario, who was third on the team with 13 home runs in 2022, leaving a remaining hole at the hot corner.
Still, Detroit hopes there is continued growth with young first baseman Spencer Torkelson and outfielder Riley Greene. Torkelson, the top pick of the 2020 draft, played 110 games and hit .203/.285/.319 with eight homers in 2022, but Detroit should hope for more as he gets more comfortable in an everyday role in 2023.
Greene also was a first-round pick in the 2019 draft. The Tigers hope he can provide more pop than his five homers and .362 slugging percentage in 92 games suggested, mainly since Candelario is departing.
This could be the farewell tour for Miguel Cabrera too. After locking down his 3,000th hit in 2022, Cabrera hit just five homers and slashed .254/.305/.317 in 110 games for the worst full-season total of his career. He has one more guaranteed year on his contract, and this will likely be the last chance to see him play before riding off to Cooperstown on the first ballot.
2023 MLB Futures Odds
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Tigers Futures Bets 2023
Tigers Win Total Over 69.5 (-110) at Caesars Sportsbook
WAGER: 1 Unit
The Tigers exceeded their Pythagorean Win/Loss record by three games last season (63-99) and should expect more from some of their fledgling stars.
Detroit actually managed to play very well against divisional opponents, sporting a respectable 34-42 record. I noted the expected regression from Minnesota, but that could be countered with an improvement from the underachieving White Sox.
Still, 70 wins is a good goal for the Tigers. If Torkelson and Greene break out, or anyone they get power from anyone on the roster other than Javier Baez, the over should be attainable.
Tigers To Win AL Central (+2500) at Caesars Sportsbook
WAGER: 0.25 Units
Let’s be a tad realistic here. Detroit has not made any real upgrades to its offense, and the White Sox and Guardians are still there.
You could expect a regression from Minnesota, but who knows if Detroit is ready to even move into third place in the division.
Still, it’s always good to have some tangible attached to your favorite team’s futures odds. Plus, if the Tigers somehow start hot out of the gate, the odds will only get worse.
Tigers Player Prop Bets 2023
Spencer Torkelson Over 17.5 Home Runs (-115) at Caesars Sportsbook
Wager: 1 Unit
Someone is going to hit for power in the middle of Detroit’s lineup, and the safe bet is it is Torkelson. Though he only struck eight homers in 404 plate appearances in 2022, Torkelson should get comfortable playing every day and make the necessary adjustments to have a 20-homer season.
FanGraphs agrees. Though projections vary for the second-year Tigers infielder, the acclaimed analytics site is predicting Torkelson to finish with 20 homers, even while playing in cavernous Comerica Park.
How to Bet Tigers Moneylines
Moneyline wagers are the easiest way to bet on MLB games. Simply pick the team that wins, and you’ll win your wager.
When betting moneylines on the Tigers, it’s important to consider the odds. Odds may look confusing, but they are always in reference to a $100 wager. A -200 bet on the Tigers to win means a bettor would win $0.50 profit per dollar wagered or need to bet $200 in order to win $100.
If the Tigers are a plus-money underdog, say +150 in a game against the White Sox, that means Detroit would fetch bettors $150 in profit on a $100 wager if it won.
The odds will change every day depending on the opponent and pitching matchup, which means it’s integral to assess the odds daily.
- Tigers 2022 Moneyline record: 66-96
How to Bet Tigers Run Line
Run-line betting is the same as spread betting in other sports, and in baseball, the spread is almost always 1.5 runs.
When run-line betting, bettors will get odds on the favorite to win by two-or-more runs or for the underdog to lose by only one run or win outright. When betting on the Tigers as a favorite against the Royals, the line may look like this: Detroit -1.5 (-120) vs Kansas City +1.5 (+100).
If Detroit is a run-line underdog, say against Cleveland, the line may look like this: Cleveland -1.5 (-140) vs Detroit +1.5 (+115). Cleveland would need to win by two-or-more runs, and Detroit would need to lose by only one or win for the bet to cash.
- Tigers 2022 Run-Line Record: 78-84
How to Bet Tigers Over/Unders
If you don’t want to bet on the Tigers to lose but aren’t sure they can win either, you can wager on their totals. In totals betting, simply wager whether there will be more or fewer than a predetermined number of runs, usually about eight.
If there is more than eight runs, the over hits. If there are fewer than eight runs then the under is successful. If there is exactly eight runs in a game, the bet pushes, and the bet is voided and bettor receives his/her money back.
Given the fact Comerica Park is a pitcher-friendly park, and the Tigers have recently struggled offensively, the under is a favorable play. However, sportsbooks will account for park factors, weather and pitching matchups before setting the over/under number.
- Tigers 2022 Over/Under Record: 63-85-14
