Detroit Tigers vs Kansas City Royals Preview
At 1:10 from Comerica Park in Detroit, we have an American League matchup between the Royals and Tigers. Heading into Friday’s game, the Royals have a record of 16-10, while the Tigers are 14-11. The over/under line is at 7.5 runs, and the Tigers are the slight favorite on the money line at -116.
MLB Network is handling TV coverage for Friday’s game, and the forecast looks good in Detroit, with clear skies and temperatures in the low 50s. Seth Lugo is starting for the Royals, and he is facing off against Reese Olson for the Tigers.
Check out BetCoco for Detroit Tigers – Kansas City Royals odds
Detroit Tigers Trends and Key Stats
- Over the course of their previous five away games, the Royals have recorded a 3-2 record, with a 3-2 performance on the runline.
- Conversely, the Tigers have achieved a 3-2 (SU) record and 4-1 record in their last five home games.
- Over the last ten games, Royals has a record of 7-3 when playing as favorites and 6-4 when playing as underdogs.
- In their last ten games, the Tigers have a record of 5-5 as the favorite and 6-4 as the underdog.
Detroit Tigers vs Kansas City Royals Prediction
The Royals’s offense was carried by Salvador Perez in their most recent game vs. the Blue Jays. Perez went 1/2 with a homer and two RBIs. The Royals really only needed one big inning, as they scored both of their runs in the 1st inning. Kansas City was the slight underdog at -106 going into the game.
Cole Ragans got the start for the Royals, going five innings and giving up just one run on three hits. He only had four strikeouts in the outing and got the win.
Kansas City is on a three-game winning streak, and they will be looking for a win on the road today vs. the Tigers. The Royals are 16-10 overall, putting them 2nd in the AL Central, 2.5 games behind the Guardians. So far, they have been good vs. other teams in the AL Central, putting together a record of 7-3.
The Royals have been really good at home this season, going 12-5, but they are just 4-5 on the road. As the favorite, the Royals have gone 6-3 this year and 10-7 as the underdog. Kansas City picked up a win in the final game of their series vs. the Blue Jays. This came after dropping the first game of the series and have now gone 4-4 in series this year.
Despite their overall success against the run line, the Royals have struggled to cover the run line in their last two games as the favorite. They are 5-4 overall against the run line as the favorite, but have failed to cover in their last two games in that role.
The Kansas City Royals have had a low-scoring streak of games, with their last five games all going under the total. Their over/under record for the season is 8-17, and their games have averaged 7.7 runs per game. The over/under line for today’s game against the Detroit Tigers is set at 7.5 runs, which is lower than their average over/under line of 8 runs per game. The Royals have played in 22 games with higher over/under lines than 7.5 runs, and their games have gone under the total in both games with a 7.5 run line.
Seth Lugo will be making his second road start of the season, as the Royals take on the Tigers. Lugo has been solid in his first three starts, picking up wins in his first two outings before taking a loss in his last start. In that game, he went 5 1/3 innings, giving up 4 runs on 9 strikeouts.
Salvador Perez has been on a tear of late for the Royals, going 11/29 in his last nine games with three homers and 10 RBIs. This has helped him move into the team lead in batting average (.352) and RBIs (25), while his seven homers are 4th best in the league. Kansas City will also look for continued production from Bobby Witt Jr., who is hitting .308 with four homers.
Overall, the Royals offense is 12th in the league at 4.6 runs per game. They have been better at home, averaging 5.2 runs per contest, which is 6th best in the league. As a team, the Royals are batting just .237, but they do have the league’s 4th best home run total and have the 5th best isolated power figure in the league.
The Tigers will be looking to get back on track after closing out their series vs. the Rays with a 7-5 loss. This was especially tough, as they held a lead going into the 9th inning before the Rays scored three runs in the bottom of the 9th. Detroit was the -113 favorite on the money line going into the game.
Jack Flaherty had a rough outing, giving up four earned runs on seven hits and issuing three walks. The Tigers also wasted a big game from Matt Vierling, who went 2/4 with a run scored and two RBIs.
Detroit is 14-11 overall this year and is 3rd in the AL Central, trailing the Guardians by four games. So far, they have been good against other teams in the AL Central, putting together a record of 7-3. The Tigers will host the Royals today, and they are 4-7 at home this year.
The Tigers have been good on the road this year, coming in with a mark of 10-4. Detroit closed out their series vs. the Rays with a loss and had won two straight before that. As the underdog, the Tigers have won three straight, and they are 8-6 as the underdog overall. Detroit’s series record is 4-2-2 this year, and they have won two straight series on the road.
When it comes to the run line, the Tigers have been a better bet on the road than at home, with a 9-5 record compared to 2-9. They have also been a better bet as an underdog, going 10-4 compared to 1-10 as the favorite. Their average run differential is +0.3 runs per game, but it has been higher in wins (+2.6) and lower in losses (-2.7).
When the Tigers have played games with an over/under line of 7.5 runs, the over/under record is 4-4. The combined run average in those games is 7.8 runs. Overall, the Tigers’ over/under record is 11-13, and the average over/under line in their games is 8 runs. In their last 10 games, the over has hit 6 times.
Reese Olson is getting the start for the Tigers at home against the Royals. He has started 3 games so far this season, and in his most recent outing, he took a loss to the Twins on the road. In that game, he went 5 innings, giving up 4 runs on 5 hits and struck out 4.
Mark Canha and Riley Greene have been two of the Tigers’ most consistent hitters this season, with Canha batting .259 and Greene at .244. Canha’s five homers are the best mark on the team, while Greene also has five homers. Both players are currently on four-game hitting streaks. Over his last 10 games, Greene has gone 8/31, while Canha has gone 11/31.
Kerry Carpenter has been hot for the Tigers, going 12/39 in his last 10 games with one home run and nine RBIs. Carpenter’s 13 RBIs are 2nd on the team, and his three homers are also the 2nd best mark on the team. Overall, Carpenter is batting .289 this season.
Our prediction for today’s Royals vs. Tigers matchup is to take the Tigers on the money line at -116. We have the Tigers winning this one by a score of 5-4. If you’re looking for a parlay, you could also take the over, as the line is sitting at 7.5 runs, and we have this game going over that.
Looking at the starting pitchers, Reese Olson is projected to finish with seven strikeouts, and he is currently eighth in terms of starters in terms of strikeout projections. As for Seth Lugo, he is projected to finish with six K’s, and he is 14th among starters.
Detroit Tigers vs Kansas City Royals Betting Tips
- Take the Royals on the moneyline
- The Tigers are also our pick on the run line at +1.5
- Projecting a combined 9 runs, we like the over
Detroit Tigers Injury Report
| Player | Status | Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Gio Urshela | Out | Hamstring |
| Andy Ibáñez | Out | Hamstring |
| Sawyer Gipson-Long | Out | Elbow |
Kansas City Royals Injury Report
| Player | Status | Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Jordan Lyles | Out | Personal |
| Carlos Hernández | Out | Shoulder |
| Josh Taylor | Out | Biceps |
| Kyle Wright | Out | Shoulder |
| Kris Bubic | Out | Elbow |
| Jake Brentz | Out | Hamstring |
| Alec Marsh | Out | Forearm |
