I'd hate to be the bearer of a spoiler in a baseball match that promises plenty of action, but hey, that's why they pay me the big bucks. This clash happens at Kauffman Stadium, where runs have a sneaky little way of adding up faster than on other fields. Word to the wise, expect no favors for the pitchers.
Speaking of which, Detroit's got Tarik Skubal hanging out in the dugout. Solid ERAs and WHIPs in this season, with a pretty convincing number of strikeouts under his belt. On the Kansas City side, we have Alec Marsh. Now Marsh hasn't had a horrible season, but let's just say Skubal might sleep a little easier tonight.
Now, in the world of the bang-stick, Detroit Tigers have Zach McKinstry, who seems to find hitting a baseball as easy as blinkin', with a tantalizing batting average of 0.352. But let's not forget Colt Keith and Riley Greene. These boys can run the bases like nobody's business! Over in the Royals corner, the presence of Salvador Perez and Bobby Witt Jr. does make things interesting. Not quite the average of McKinstry, but capable of knocking the old horsehide off the ball when they get a mind to.
Now, let's rewind. These teams have had a fair share of head-to-heads with back-and-forth results. But the Tigers have been the last one laughing recently, and you know what they say about winners' momentum. However, on the whole, the Royals have been the better side this season.
The Tigers might feel the sting of the recent loss to Baltimore that sits in their recent games record. The Royals, on the other hand, just haven't been themselves recently, losing more games than they can afford.
In the match of the night, we've got enough sparks ready to start a bonfire. As for predicting the winner? The Detroit Tigers might just pull it off, but don’t be surprised if it’s a tooth and nail fight!
Albert’s Prediction: Detroit Tigers by 2