This is a 10* TOP INTERLEAGUE TOTAL on the OVER Tigers/Cardinals.

On the best of days, these offenses struggle to plate runs. However, I believe the opener of this interleague series sets up more as a SLUG-FEST, than a DUEL.

The Tigers go with Casey Mize, who is 6-6, 3.69 ERA and who gave up two runs over four innings in a no-decision to the Angels on Tuesday. He needed 88 pitches to get through four innings.

The Cardinals go with Joe Flaherty, who is 9-1 with a 2.68 ERA. Flaherty has been rock solid for St. Louis this year and it's near impossible to say anything negative about him.

I'm not comfortable laying the price on the home side here. I do think that the Tigers will get a few runs, as they've seen the total go OVER in seven of their last ten after playing to three or more straight UNDERS in a row.

The sharper wager is instead to focus on this total. Each has seen the total go UNDER in several games of late, but the value has now finally swung the other way as far as the total is concerned.

The play is the OVER.

Good luck, NP