Kansas City Royals vs Detroit Tigers Picks and Predictions September 17th 2024

The forecast from Kansas City on Tuesday calls for clear skies and temperatures in the low 90s. The Tigers and Royals are set to face off at 7:40 PM ET from Kauffman Stadium. The stadium is located in Kansas City, and the Royals are heavy favorites on the money line at -168, while the Tigers are the +142 underdogs.

Detroit will be looking to keep their two-game winning streak alive, as they are 78-73 and 4th in the AL Central. The Royals are currently 2nd in the AL Central with an overall record of 82-69. Starting for the Tigers is Casey Mize, while Cole Ragans goes for the Royals. BSKC will be televising Tuesday’s matchup.

Detroit vs. Kansas City Key Information

• Teams: Tigers at Royals
• Where: Kauffman Stadium Kansas City
• Date: Tuesday, September 17th
• Betting Odds KC -168 | DET +142 O/U 8

The Tigers Can Win If…

Casey Mize is looking to build off his last outing, where he finished with a no-decision. Against the Rockies on September 11th, he went 4 2/3 innings, giving up four earned runs, and six hits. Mize’s ERA for the season is 4.47, along with a record of 2-6. Looking back over his last three outings, Mize has finished with a no-decision in each one. His last loss came on August 24th vs. the Cardinals. Mize has made six quality starts this year and is averaging 6.75 strikeouts per nine innings.

Riley Greene comes into the game as the Tigers’ leader in home runs (23) and RBIs (69) while also batting a solid .263 for the season. However, he has struggled a bit of late, hitting just 4/18 in his last five games. Colt Keith and Matt Vierling are also near the top of the Tigers’ home run and RBI leaderboards, with Keith having 13 homers and Vierling at 16.

Spencer Torkelson has been swinging a hot bat of late, going 8/18 in his last five games, but he has yet to go deep in that stretch. Torkelson is also on a seven-game hitting streak. As a team, the Tigers are averaging 4.3 runs per game and are 20th in home runs.

• The Tigers are 7-3 in their last ten games.
• Over their last five games, the Tigers are 3-2 vs. the run line.
• Detroit has an over/under record of 5-5 in their last ten games.
• The Tigers have an average of 3.2 runs per game over their last five games.
• Across their last ten road games, the Tigers are 7-3
• Looking back across the Tigers last five games as the favorite, they are 4-1
• Detroit has gone 2-1 in their last three games as the underdog
• In their ten most recent road games, the Tigers have averaged 6.1 runs per game on offense

The Royals Can Win If…

Cole Ragans is looking to build off his last outing, where he finished with a no-decision. Against the Yankees, he went six innings, giving up two earned runs, and seven hits. Looking back further, he has made 30 starts and has a record of 11-9 this season. Ragans’ ERA is 3.32, along with a WHIP of 1.15. Opponents have a batting average of .209 off the left-hander this season. One of his 19 quality starts came in his last outing. Ragans’ ERA at home is 5.29 compared to 3.17 on the road.

So far this season, the Royals are averaging 4.7 runs per game, which is 8th in the league. They have been even better at home, putting up 5 runs per contest. As a team, they are batting .253, which is the 6th best mark in the MLB. One area they have struggled is in drawing walks, as they are just 26th in the league in that category.

Bobby Witt Jr. has been one of the league’s top power threats this season, as his 32 homers are 9th in the league. He also comes into the game with a batting average of .332. Witt Jr. has also been hot of late, going 7/26 in his last six games with two homers. Salvador Perez is also a big power threat in the lineup, as he has 27 homers this season and is 6th in the league with 102 RBIs.

• The Royals are 6-4 in their last ten games.
• Over their last five games, the Royals are 3-2 vs. the run line.
• Kansas City has an over/under record of 3-7 in their last ten games.
• The Royals have an average of 5.0 runs per game over their last five games.
• Across their last ten home games, the Royals are 3-7
• Looking back across the Royals last five games as the favorite, they are 3-2
• Kansas City has gone 1-2 in their last three games as the underdog
• In their ten most recent road games, the Royals have averaged 3.7 runs per game on offense

Chicago Cubs Seek to Extend Offensive Hot Streak Against Oakland Athletics

The Chicago Cubs are riding a wave of offensive success and will look to extend their hot streak as they face the Oakland Athletics in the second game of their three-game series on Tuesday night at Wrigley Field. After a 9-2 win in the series opener, the Cubs have now scored five or more runs in seven consecutive games, averaging seven runs per game during this impressive stretch.

Chicago’s offense, which struggled mightily just a week ago—being shut out in three of five games—has found new life. On Monday, the Cubs jumped out to an early lead, scoring all nine of their runs in the first four innings. They racked up 18 hits, the second-highest total in a single game for them this season.

Key Performers Fuel Cubs’ Surge

In the series opener, Seiya Suzuki, Miguel Amaya, and Isaac Paredes each collected three hits, while Dansby Swanson broke the game wide open with a three-run homer during a five-run second inning. The Cubs’ offense has been critical in helping them secure back-to-back wins following a brief three-game losing streak. This offensive surge is a crucial factor as the Cubs push to stay in the playoff race.

Jordan Wicks on the Mound for Chicago

Taking the mound for the Cubs will be Jordan Wicks (2-3, 5.27 ERA), a 25-year-old left-hander who will make his 10th start of the season. Wicks is looking to rebound after a rough outing in his last start, where he allowed seven runs on eight hits over just three innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Tuesday’s game will mark Wicks’ first career start against the Athletics. The Cubs will hope that Wicks can stabilize the rotation and deliver a solid performance to keep their momentum alive.

Oakland Athletics Continue to Struggle

The Oakland Athletics are facing tough times, losing three straight games and four of their last five. In Monday’s game, starter Joey Estes was knocked out early, surrendering six runs on nine hits in just over one inning. The A’s will look to snap their losing streak, though their recent form has been inconsistent at best.

One bright spot for Oakland has been Brent Rooker, who continues to be a force in their lineup. Rooker hit his 38th home run of the season in the series opener and has now homered in three of his last five games. In addition to leading the team in home runs, Rooker tops the A’s in RBIs, hits, and batting average. Over his last six games, Rooker has driven in 10 runs, and Oakland will look to him for more offense as they try to turn their season around.

Mitch Spence Takes the Mound for Oakland

The Athletics will send Mitch Spence (7-9, 4.33 ERA) to the mound on Tuesday. Spence is coming off one of his best starts of the season, having allowed just two runs over seven innings in a no-decision against the Houston Astros last Thursday. Like Wicks, this will be Spence’s first career start against the Cubs.

Historical Advantage for Cubs

The Cubs have historically dominated this matchup, winning nine of their last 10 games against the Athletics dating back to 2016. With both teams currently trending in opposite directions—Chicago pushing for the playoffs and Oakland winding down a difficult season—the Cubs are hoping to keep their winning streak alive.

What’s at Stake

For the Cubs, maintaining their offensive firepower is critical as they continue to fight for a spot in the postseason. Jordan Wicks will be key as Chicago seeks consistency from their starting rotation. Meanwhile, the Athletics will aim to halt their slide and salvage a win in the series with Mitch Spence on the mound.

As the Cubs look to continue their hot streak, the Athletics will be hoping to spoil their momentum and pick up a much-needed victory.

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The Lean

We are leaning towards the Tigers picking up a win on the road vs. the Royals today, and we also have this as the 3rd highest-scoring game of the day. Our lean would be to take the over. Detroit is our 2nd highest projected home run-hitting team, and Casey Mize has the 2nd best innings pitched projection. On the other side, Cole Ragans has the 6th best strikeout projection among today’s starters.