Detroit Tigers (52-55) vs Kansas City Royals (57-49)
August 1, 2024 at 06:40 PM EDT
The Line: Betting Odds: Detroit Tigers +145 / Kansas City Royals -172 — Over/Under:
The Kansas City Royals and the Detroit Tigers meet Thursday in MLB action from Comerica Park. Here’s a Kansas City Royals vs Detroit Tigers prediction. This will be the first installment in a four-game series. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best bets for the game. We will examine:
The Kansas City Royals recent form and player performance
The Detroit Tigers recent form and player performance
Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Kansas City Royals
Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Detroit Tigers
Recent betting trends in games played between the Royals and Tigers
A summary that ties it all together and produces a favorable betting outcome for the Royals vs Tigers game
Kansas City Royals Betting Preview
This week the Royals took on the Chicago White Sox. Kansas City won the first two games 8-5 and 4-3. In the Wednesday finale the Royals took a blowout win 10-3. Starting pitcher Brady Singer gave up three earned on six hits in 7.0 frames.
In the starter slot for the Thursday game the Royals are sending out Seth Lugo. This year Lugo is 12-5 with a 2.66 ERA in 22 starts. Over 323 career games (86 starts) Lugo is 52-36 with a 3.34 ERA. The Royals will meet the Red Sox and Cardinals after this series.
Detroit Tigers Betting Preview
Over on the Tigers’ side, they played a pair of games versus the Cleveland Guardians this week. Detroit lost 8-4 Monday, then took another loss 5-0 in the finale. In that Wednesday defeat, Detroit could only muster four hits—two of which belonged to Bligh Madris.
Keider Montero will take the starter role for the Tigers on Thursday. Montero is 1-4 with a 6.38 ERA and 31 Ks.
Royals vs Tigers Pick Injury Notes
Royals RP John Schreiber hit the IL this week with a right knee tendon injury.
Total Runs Facts
- Seven of the Tigers’ last eight night games against AL Central opponents have gone OVER the total runs line.
- Each of the Royals’ last five games as favorites against the Tigers have gone OVER the total runs line.
- The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Royals’ last five games.
- The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Tigers’ last four night games.
Detroit Tigers Player Prop Facts
- Spencer Torkelson has recorded a Double in three of his last four appearances with the Tigers as home underdogs against AL opponents.
- Kerry Carpenter has recorded at least one Single in seven of his last eight appearances at Comerica Park against AL Central opponents that held a winning record.
- Kerry Carpenter has scored at least one run in each of his last four appearances with the Tigers as home underdogs.
- Kerry Carpenter has recorded at least one RBI in four of his last five appearances with the Tigers as home underdogs against AL opponents.
- Colt Keith has recorded at least one hit in each of the Tigers’ last 10 night games against AL Central opponents that held a winning record.
- Colt Keith has recorded at least one total base in each of the Tigers’ last 10 night games against AL opponents that held a winning record.
- Javier Baez has hit a home run in three of his last four appearances against AL Central opponents.
Kansas City Royals Player Prop Facts
- Seth Lugo has recorded a win in each of his last five appearances in night games against AL teams that held a losing record.
- Bobby Witt Jr. has recorded at least one hit in each of the Royals’ last 20 night games.
- MJ Melendez has hit a home run in three of the Royals’ last five games as road favorites.
- Bobby Witt Jr. has recorded at least one total base in each of the Royals’ last 20 night games.
- Seth Lugo has recorded six or more strikeouts in five of his last six appearances against AL opponents that held a losing record.
- Bobby Witt Jr. has recorded at least one RBI in each of the Royals’ last four night games against AL teams that held a losing record.
- Bobby Witt Jr. has recorded at least one Single in each of the Royals’ last eight games as favorites against AL Central opponents.
- Bobby Witt Jr. has scored at least one run in each of the Royals’ last eight games as favorites against AL Central opponents.
Kansas City Royals vs Detroit Tigers Prediction
I’ll probably lean toward the Tigers here. At least some of that is due to Lugo’s recent struggles, though. On July 21 versus the White Sox, Lugo posted a complete game with one earned on three hits. In the other two of his last three starts however, Lugo is 0-2 with 11 earned runs on 15 hits and three walks over 11.1 innings of work.
Detroit needs to get the bats going Thursday as well. The Tigers have scored exactly zero runs in two of their last three games. That said, they’ve also scored four or more runs in two of their last four games. I think Detroit might be worth a shot but I’m probably staying away in reality.