The Detroit Tigers will play host to their divisional rival Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park. Fox Sports Kansas City will be showing the matchup and the game will get going at 1:10 p.m. ET.
Kansas City Royals vs. Detroit Tigers Odds
Detroit (-140) is favored against Kansas City (+130) and Vegas has the Over/Under for this game at 8.5 runs (-110 for the over and -110 for the under). You can also bet on the game’s runline with the current odds standing at Royals +1.5 runs (-170) and Tigers +-1.5 runs (+150).
The Tigers are 9-10 SU and 9-9 ATS. They’ve lost 1.1 units for bettors taking the moneyline and 0.3 units against the spread (ATS). The Royals, on the other hand, are 4-15 SU and have gone 8-10 ATS. In total, the team’s lost 9.2 units for bettors taking the moneyline through the early part of the season and 4.8 units ATS.
Tigers games have an over/under record of 7-11 thus far in 2018. The Royals have an over/under record of 6-11-1.
Eric Skoglund will get the nod for Kansas City. The southpaw Skoglund is 0-2 with a 9.31 ERA and seven strikeouts. He has yet to face the Tigers this year and only made one start against them in 2017 (1-0, 0.00 ERA and five strikeouts over 6.1 innings).
The Tigers will turn to lefty Francisco Liriano (2-1, 2.55 ERA) to the mound. Liriano has 14 punchouts and eight walks to his credit, as well as a WHIP of 1.13. Liriano is 1-0 with three strikeouts and a 1.35 ERA in one start against Kansas City this year.
Detroit’s pitchers have yielded 4.3 runs per game overall in 2018 as a unit. Its starters have a 3.73 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 6.6 strikeouts per nine innings. The bullpen has a 3.89 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 8.7 K/9. In 12 games against AL Central foes, Tigers starters have an ERA of 3.19 and the bullpen’s ERA is 1.84.
The Detroit hitters have produced 4.7 runs per outing, including 3.7 per game against divisional foes and 7.2 per game over their last five. The team has a slash-line of .324/.373/.570 over its last five games and is 4-1 SU during that stretch.
Miguel Cabrera has helped lead the Tigers’ offense this season with 20 hits, 13 RBIs and eight runs scored. Cabrera seemed to enjoy hitting lefty pitching at home in 2017. In 42 such plate appearances, he slashed .342/.405/.553 (his total season line was .249/.329/.397).
In the other dugout, Kansas City’s pitching staff allowed 5.6 runs per game and its starting pitchers own a 3.75 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 7.34 K/9. The bullpen has an ERA of 8.41, along with a WHIP of 1.23 and a K-per-9 of 7.11.
The Royals offense has slashed .241/.307/.352 on its way to 3.2 runs scored per game in 2018, including 2.5 runs per game against divisional foes and 3.6 per game over the team’s last five outings (1-4 SU).
Kansas City’s hitters have been spearheaded by Mike Moustakas so far. Moustakas is slashing .325/.349/.600 with five home runs, 14 RBIs and 11 runs scored.
The Tigers are looking for another win following a 12-4 victory in the prior game of the series.
Kansas City Royals vs. Detroit Tigers Free Pick
Predictions: SU Winner – Tigers, ATS Winner – Royals, O/U – OVER
Notes
Betting Trends
The under has hit in three of Kansas City’s last seven games.
The Royals have hit nine home runs in their last 10 games, including six over their last five.
Kansas City has recorded 21.3 Runs + Hits + Errors per game over its last 10 contests and 22.4 over its last five.
The Tigers have won five of their last six games SU.
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