Troy Melton has turned up his strikeouts of late, bumping his swinging strike rate above 14% over the last month. The Angels still have a bunch of strikeouts in their lineup, with just three hitters in the order tonight under a 24% K rate vs. righties this year, and some providing 30% upside. Melton has impressed against righties, with a 17% swinging strike rate in the last month, mainly utilizing a fastball, slider and cutter combo, which has proven to get whiffs/chase. The fastball has been better with the recent velocity jump, and I think he keeps the velocity up after a nice rest at the break. I like him for six strikeouts and I'll be playing a ladder at 7,8,9 Ks for 1u.

Lefty Reid Detmers is 0-4 with a 4.77 ERA at home, and he allowed five homers in three starts leading up to the All-Star Break. Detroit brings a top-10 offense versus southpaws. The Tigers counter with Troy Melton, who has been dominant, and he's supported by a pen that has thrived lately. I like this price on the visitors.

The Tigers went 9-3 before the All-Star break to pull within 3.5 games in the wild card chase. They're on a mission, and I think this group of guys can accomplish the goal of making the playoffs, but they have to win games like this against the Angels in Anaheim. The Tigers went 5-1 in Troy Melton's last six starts, with his last four starts staying under the total. Milton is from Anaheim Hills, and he pitches at home for the first time. I think he'll continue his success. In two July starts, he hasn't allowed an earned run. Tigers to win.

The Tigers laid a pair of eggs to the Phillies to close out the first half, but prior to that had won nine of 10, averaging 6.1 runs per game. They’ve especially crushed left-handers to the tune of an .858 OPS – bad news for Angels LHP Reid Detmers, who has allowed five runs in three of his last four starts and has yet to gain a win at home. So we’ll happily back Troy Melton, who is 5-1 with a 1.82 ERA in eight starts, and a Tigers bullpen with a 2.97 ERA in July. They can combine to hold down an Angels team that’s dropped 10 of 12 and held to three or fewer runs in eight of those games.

The Tigers are 22-14 since the start of June and won nine of 12 heading into the break. The road record is still bad, but they've won five of six on the road. Troy Melton (1.82 ERA in eight starts) vs. the maddeningly inconsistent Reid Detmers (7.40 ERA in his last four starts) means the pitching matchup favors the better team here, too.

I love betting Reid Detmers' strikeout totals at home - and it's been a profitable angle of late. Since May, Detmers has whiffed 8, 8, 14, 9, 8, and 5 batters in games played at Angel Stadium. While he hasn't pitched well in his last four starts, the extra rest from the All-Star Break should have been a welcome time for the left-hander. I think Detmers strikes out eight on Friday night to begin the second half.