The Detroit Tigers will play a three-game series, against the Royals. The Tigers are coming off a series win over the Rays while the Royals are coming off a four-game series win over the Blue Jays.
Detroit Tigers (14-11) vs. Kansas City Royals (16-10)
Game 1:
Date: Friday, April 24
Time: 1:10 pm EST
Broadcast: Bally Sports Detroit
Game 2:
Date: Saturday, April 25
Time: 6:10 pm EST
Broadcast: Bally Sports Detroit
Game 3:
Date: Sunday, April 26
Time: 1:40 pm EST
Broadcast: Bally Sports Detroit
Probable Starting Pitchers
Game 1: Reese Olson (0-3, 3.80 ERA) vs. Seth Lugo (3-1, 2.03 ERA)
Olson kicks the series off for Detroit making his fifth start, he is 0-3 with a 3.80 ERA, a 3.02 FIP, a 1.45 WHIP, and 18 strikeouts in 21.1 innings. His last start came against the Twins and he went five innings giving up four runs, two of which were earned on five hits; he walked two and struck out four. He has made two starts in his career against the Royals posting a 3.09 ERA, a 1.19 WHIP, and 15 strikeouts in 11.2 innings. Lugo will oppose Olson making his sixth start, he is 3-1 with a 2.03 ERA, a 3.87 FIP, a 1.19 WHIP, and 14 strikeouts in 31 innings. In his last start, he faced the Orioles going 5.1 innings giving up four runs on nine hits; he walked one and struck out one. In his career against Detroit he’s made one start getting a win going six innings giving up two runs on six hits; he walked three and struck out seven.
Game 2: Casey Mize (1-0, 2.95 ERA) vs. Brady Singer (2-1, 2.76 ERA)
Mize this season has made four starts going 1-0 with a 2.95 ERA, a 3.25 FIP, a 1.21 WHIP, and 16 strikeouts in 21.1 innings. In his last start against the Twins, he went six innings, he didn’t allow a run on five hits; he walked three and struck out four. In his career against the Royals, he is 2-1 with a 4.71 ERA, a 1.21 WHIP, and 25 strikeouts in 36.1 innings. Singer will go for the Royals, he is 2-1 with a 2.76 ERA, a 4.25 FIP, a 0.95 WHIP, and 28 strikeouts in 29.1 innings. His last start came against the Blue Jays going six innings giving up five runs on five hits; he walked three and struck out five. In his career against the Tigers, he is 6-1 with a 3.41 ERA, a 1.25 WHIP, and 62 strikeouts in 66 innings.
Game 3: Tarik Skubal (3-0, 1.82 ERA) vs. Michael Wacha (1-2, 3.81 ERA)
Skubal gets the finale, he is 3-0 with a 1.82 ERA, a 2.28 FIP, a 0.74 WHIP, and 35 strikeouts in 29.2 innings. His last start came against the Rays going six innings, he didn’t allow a run on three hits; he also didn’t issue a walk and struck out nine. In his career against the Royals, he’s 1-7 with a 5.09 ERA, a 1.05 WHIP, and 53 strikeouts in 53 innings. Wacha this season is 1-2 with a 3.81 ERA, a 3.37 FIP, a 1.27 WHIP, and 25 strikeouts in 28.1 innings. In his last start, he went 4.1 innings giving up two runs on eight hits; he walked three and struck out four. In his career against the Tigers, he is 1-0 with a 2.35 ERA, a 0.97 WHIP, and 17 strikeouts in 15.1 innings.
Tigers vs. Royals Leaders
Tigers:
AVG – Kerry Carpenter – .289
HR – Riley Greene – 5
RBI – Mark Canha – 14
IP – Tarik Skubal – 29.2
ERA – Tarik Skubal – 1.82
K – Jack Flaherty – 36
Royals:
AVG – Salvador Perez – .352
HR – Salvador Perez – 7
RBI – Salvador Perez – 25
IP – Seth Lugo – 31.0
ERA – Seth Lugo – 2.03
K – Cole Ragans – 37
Tigers vs. Royals Numbers
Tigers
AVG: .221 (25)
OPS: .647 (26)
R: 101 (21)
HR: 20 (27)
ERA: 3.00 (3)
K: 218 (16)
WHIP: 1.09 (2)
Royals
AVG: .237 (18)
OPS: .706 (15)
R: 119 (11)
HR: 29 (5)
ERA: 3.13 (4)
K: 187 (27)
WHIP: 1.25 (13)
Wrap Up
The Tigers offense has woken up as of late. In the Rays series, they outscored them 16-10 and they won a series against an American League East team which they couldn’t do last season. Now they get an American League Central team and to this point, they are 7-3 and have outscored their opponents in those games 43-34. Now granted it has been to the two teams at the bottom of the division but the Twins who they are 4-3 against are the team that won the Central last year. In this series the Tigers are currently trailing the Royals for second place by a game and a half, a series win will help them especially with the Guardians having a series against the Atlanta Braves, this will be a tough series however in terms of the pitching matchup but if the bats show up like they did against the Rays the Tigers will win this series.
