The Detroit Tigers will play their divisional rival Kansas City Royals at Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium. Fox Sports Kansas City will be airing the matchup and the game gets underway at 8:15 p.m. ET.
Detroit Tigers at Kansas City Royals Odds
Kansas City (-120) is favored over Detroit (+110) and oddsmakers have set the Over/Under for this game at 9.5 runs. The odds for betting on the game’s total sit at -120 for the under and +100 for the over. Gamblers can also wager on the game’s spread with the most recent runline odds sitting at -190 for the Tigers +1.5 runs and +165 for the Royals -1.5 runs.
The Tigers are 13-17 SU and have gone 16-13 against the spread (ATS). They’ve lost 1.1 units for moneyline gamblers in the season’s early going, despite having gained 1.6 units ATS. Detroit has covered the spread five times in its last seven games and the under has hit in six of those seven. The Royals, on the other hand, are 9-22 SU and 12-18 ATS. The team’s lost 11.9 units for moneyline bettors and 10.0 units ATS. Kansas City has a 3-4 ATS mark over its last seven games and the under has cashed in four of those seven.
Kansas City games have an 11-17-2 over/under record so far in 2018. Detroit has an over/under record of 12-17.
Francisco Liriano will get the nod for Detroit. The left-handed Liriano is 3-1 with a 3.38 ERA and 21 strikeouts. He’s 1-0 with nine strikeouts and a 3.00 ERA against Kansas City this year.
The Royals are sending righty Ian Kennedy (1-3, 3.48 ERA) to the mound. Kennedy has 28 strikeouts and 10 walks to his credit, as well as a WHIP of 1.42. Kennedy hasn’t faced the Tigers yet this year, but he made three starts against them in 2017, putting together a 2-1 record with a 4.50 ERA and 13 strikeouts.
Detroit’s pitchers have allowed 4.7 runs per game and its starting pitchers own a 3.96 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 6.99 K/9. The bullpen has logged an ERA of 4.69, along with a WHIP of 1.27.
Tigers hitters have slashed .253/.317/.407 on their way to 4.5 runs scored per game this season, including 3.9 runs per game against divisional foes and 3.2 per game over the team’s last five contests (2-3 SU).
First baseman Miguel Cabrera and third baseman Jeimer Candelario have led Detroit’s hitters. Cabrera is hitting .323/.407/.516 with three home runs, 21 RBIs and 13 runs scored, while Candelario is hitting .283 with four homers, 14 RBIs and 18 runs scored.
Putting up a slash line of .180/.274/.262 across 208 plate appearances, Cabrera seemed to take a step back when hitting righty pitching on the road last year (compared to his overall season line of .249/.329/.397).
For the home team, Kansas City’s pitchers have yielded 5.7 runs per game overall in 2018. Its starters have a 4.87 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 7.2 strikeouts per nine innings. The bullpen has a 6.07 ERA, 1.56 WHIP and 6.4 K/9. In 17 divisional games, Royals starters have an ERA of 4.61 and the bullpen’s ERA is 5.54.
Kansas City’s hitters have produced 3.7 runs per contest, including 3.5 per game against divisional foes and 6.4 per game over their last five. The team has slashed .314/.383/.505 over its last five contests and is 3-2 SU during that span.
The Royals’ hitters have been led by outfielder Jorge Soler and third baseman Mike Moustakas. Soler is hitting .312/.435/.538 with four home runs, 10 RBIs and 12 runs scored, while Moustakas has put up a line of .298/.333/.565 with eight homers, 20 RBIs and 20 runs.
Compared to his total season slash line of .144/.245/.258, Soler performed well at home last season, slashing .213/.302/.404 over 53 plate appearances.
The Tigers have lost 0.6 units and are 14-11 ATS when facing a right-handed starting pitcher this year. The over has hit in nine of those games, compared to 16 that’ve hit the under against righty starters. On the other hand, the Royals have netted 1.2 units and are 6-7 ATS when facing a lefty starter. The over’s cashed in six of those games, compared to seven that went under the total.
Detroit Tigers at Kansas City Royals MLB Prediction
Predictions: SU Winner – Royals, ATS Winner – Tigers, O/U – OVER
Notes
Betting Notes
Kansas City has posted 25.2 Runs + Hits + Errors per game over its last 10 games and 30.0 over its last five.
The Tigers have hit 10 home runs in their last 10 games. The Royals have hit 11 over their last 10.
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