Blue Jays vs. Tigers Picks and Predictions for Sunday May 17, 2026
Use Code WWWC Toronto (20-25) will look to take the series on the road when they wrap up a three-game set against Detroit (20-26) at Comerica Park on Sunday afternoon at 1:40 PM ET. Read on to find out which team picks up the win in this Blue Jays vs. Tigers prediction. Don't go down on strikes! Get our top MLB Predictions and increase your bankroll!
Kevin Gausman, 2-3, 3.86 ERA, will get the start for the Blue Jays. The Tigers will counter with Jack Flaherty, 0-4, 5.73 ERA.
Blue Jays Looking To Win The Series And Stem The Tide
The Blue Jays have been one of the biggest disappointments in baseball through the first seven weeks of the season, sitting well below .500 despite fielding a roster that includes one of the best pitchers in baseball in Kevin Gausman and a lineup anchored by Vladimir Guerrero Jr. A road series win on Sunday would be a meaningful step toward reversing a troubling trend for a team that entered 2026 with World Series aspirations.
Toronto's offense ranks sixth in batting average at .251 but has been one of the worst in the league in run production, ranking 26th, with a slugging percentage of .381 that ranks 20th. Guerrero Jr. has a .340 batting average that ranks second in the AL but has managed just two home runs and 17 RBI through 44 games, leaving significant production on the table.
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Kazuma Okamoto leads the Blue Jays with 26 RBI, while Dylan Cease has been a revelation on the mound with a 3-0 record and 2.58 ERA.
Gausman enters Sunday having thrown quality starts in three of his nine outings this season, posting a 3.10 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and a 43-to-9 K:BB ratio across 46.2 innings spanning seven starts. Gausman is in the final year of his five-year, $110 million deal with Toronto and has not finished a season with an ERA above 3.83 since 2019. He remains the team's most reliable arm by a wide margin and takes the mound in a series-deciding spot.
Tigers Looking To Clinch The Home Series
Detroit enters Sunday with a 20-25 record, tied with Toronto for the fourth-worst mark in the AL. The Tigers split the first two games of this series and have a chance to take a much-needed series win at home against their division rival.
Riley Greene continues to be Detroit's offensive engine, posting a .291/.391/.473 slash line with a .907 OPS that is the best among Tigers hitters and one of the best marks in the AL. Greene has made significant improvements against breaking pitches, batting .385 on them with a .614 slugging percentage while cutting his whiff rate from 37.8% to 28.4%.
Colt Keith has been equally impressive, batting .354 over his last 15 games with three home runs and seven RBI. The young third baseman has developed into one of the more dangerous leadoff hitters in the AL when facing right-handed pitching.
Flaherty had one of his better outings of the season in his most recent start against the Mets, fanning a season-high 10 batters and issuing fewer than two walks for the first time this year while pitching into the fifth inning with two runs or fewer allowed for just the third time in eight starts. He still carries a 5.56 ERA, 1.65 WHIP, and a troubling 42:26 K:BB ratio across 34 innings, but the trend line from his last outing gives Detroit fans reason for cautious optimism.
Blue Jays vs. Tigers Picks
Money Line Pick for Blue Jays vs. Tigers
- Toronto Blue Jays ML (4 Units)
The Blue Jays get the edge here because Gausman is one of the most reliable starters in baseball and faces a Tigers offense that, while dangerous at the top, is inconsistent enough to be shut down. Gausman has been having success inducing chases out of the zone at a league-leading 40.8% rate, and his elite splitter is a nightmare for a lineup that is susceptible to strikeouts. Flaherty has shown flashes, but his 42:26 K:BB ratio is unsustainable and his 1.65 WHIP is one of the worst marks among AL starters. The Tigers have gone just 2-7 against the spread when Flaherty starts this season, and asking him to out-duel one of baseball's most consistent aces in a series-deciding spot is a tall order. Take Toronto on the money line.
Over/Under Pick for Blue Jays vs. Tigers
- Under 8 (4 Units)
Gausman has a 43-to-9 K:BB ratio across his starts this season, making him one of the most efficient pitchers in baseball at limiting baserunners and keeping games close. Toronto's offense ranks 26th in runs scored and has consistently failed to cash in scoring opportunities this season, keeping game totals suppressed even in close contests. While Flaherty has been shaky, Greene and Keith give Detroit enough pop to keep pace without pushing the total over. With Gausman near the top of his game and both offenses trending toward modest outputs, expect a tightly pitched, low-scoring Sunday matinée at Comerica. Take the Under.
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