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After sweeping the Cubs in the Tokyo Series last week, the Los Angeles Dodgers enter 2025 MLB Opening Day with a 2-0 record as they’ll host the Detroit Tigers. Los Angeles won its eighth World Series championship last year behind a 98-64 record, while Detroit is coming off an 86-76 mark and its first postseason appearance in a decade as it bowed out in the ALDS. Reigning AL Cy Young winner, Tarik Skubal, gets the call on MLB Opening Day 2025 for the Tigers, while two-time Cy Young winner, Blake Snell, goes for the Dodgers. Mookie Betts, who missed the first two games, is expected to be in the Dodgers’ lineup on Thursday.
First pitch is at 7:10 p.m. ET from Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. The Dodgers are -166 favorites on the money line (risk $166 to win $100) in the latest Tigers vs. Dodgers odds from SportsLine consensus. The total number of runs Vegas thinks will be scored, or the over/under, is 6.5.
Before making any Dodgers vs. Tigers picks, be sure to see the MLB predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every MLB game 10,000 times. It enters the 2025 MLB season on a 32-17 roll on top-rated run-line betting picks (+699) that dates back to 2023. Anybody following at sportsbooks and on betting apps could have seen strong returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Los Angeles vs. Detroit and just locked in its picks and MLB predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Now, here are several MLB odds and betting lines for Dodgers vs. Tigers:
- Tigers vs. Dodgers money line: LAD -166, DET +140
- Tigers vs. Dodgers over/under: 6.5 runs
- Tigers vs. Dodgers run line: Dodgers -1.5 (+132)
- LAD: The Dodgers are 82-82 on the run line since the 2024 regular season
- DET: The Tigers were 44-20 on the run line as an away underdog last year
- Tigers vs. Dodgers picks: See picks at SportsLine
- Tigers vs. Dodgers streaming: FuboTV (Try for free)
Why the Tigers can cover
Snell may have twice as many Cy Young awards as Skubal, but the latter is the better pitcher in this matchup, and maybe the best pitcher in all of baseball. After posting a 2.80 ERA in 2023, Skubal performed even better last year, leading the AL in ERA (2.39), wins (18) and strikeouts (228). He became just the third American League pitcher to win the Triple Crown over a non-pandemic-shortened season over the last 25 years.
Skubal has also had the upper hand against this current Dodgers lineup, as they have combined to hit just .194 against him. Once he turns the ball over to Detroit’s bullpen, there is very little drop-off as the Tigers had the second-best bullpen ERA in the AL in 2024. Additionally, the Tigers added two-time All-Star Gleyber Torres this offseason, and the former Yankee ranks fourth amongst MLB second basemen with 64 home runs since 2021. See which team to back at SportsLine.
Why the Dodgers can cover
The reigning champs flexed their muscles in Tokyo last week in sweeping the Cubs as the L.A. bullpen picked up the slack from the Dodgers’ starters having modest pitch counts. Los Angeles’ relievers pitched 10 innings in the two-game set, allowing just two earned runs and striking out 14 batters. When you factor in that Snell owns the highest K/9 (11.2) in MLB history, it could be a long day in the batter’s box for Detroit, which struck out the seventh-most times in baseball last season.
Three-time MVP Shohei Ohtani has picked up where he left off as he hit one of the Dodgers’ three home runs versus the Cubs. Ohtani racked up seven total bases, while Will Smith was an on-base machine, reaching safely seven times across nine plate appearances. After leading MLB in OPS (.781) last season, Los Angeles also owns the vastly superior offense as Detroit ranked just 23rd in OPS (.685). See which team to back at SportsLine.
How to make Dodgers vs. Tigers picks
SportsLine’s model has simulated Tigers vs. Dodgers 10,000 times and is leaning Over on the total, projecting 8.4 combined runs. It also says one side of the money line has all the value. You can head to SportsLine to see the model’s MLB picks.
So who wins Dodgers vs. Tigers on MLB Opening Day, and which side has all the value? Visit SportsLine now to see which side you need to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its MLB picks, and find out.
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