Kansas City Royals (8-12) vs. Detroit Tigers (11-8)
April 18, 2025 6:40 pm EDT
The Line: Detroit Tigers 120 / Kansas City Royals -142; Over/Under: 7.5
(Get latest betting odds)
The Kansas City Royals and Detroit Tigers meet Friday in MLB action at Comerica Park. Here’s a Tigers vs Royals Prediction. This article will include a Tigers vs Royals Pick.
Kansas City Royals Betting Preview
The Kansas City Royals are 8-12 on the year and play the Rockies, Astros, and Rays next. The Kansas City Royals are batting .207 on the season, have a .277 OBP, and a .304 slugging percentage. The Kansas City Royals pitching staff has a 3.49 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. Bobby Witt Jr. leads the Kansas City Royals with 23 hits and 8 RBI, while Maikel Garcia and Salvador Perez have combined for 32 hits and 20 RBI.
Cole Ragans gets the ball for the Kansas City Royals, and he is 1-0 with a 2.28 ERA and 34 strikeouts this season. Ragans is 2-1 with a 2.45 ERA and 33 strikeouts in his career against the Detroit Tigers.
Detroit Tigers Betting Preview
The Detroit Tigers are 11-8 on the year and play the Padres, Orioles, and Astros next. The Detroit Tigers are batting .243 on the season, have a .322 OBP, and a .393 slugging percentage. The Detroit Tigers pitching staff has a 3.38 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP. Spencer Torkelson leads the Detroit Tigers with 20 hits and 16 RBI while Kerry Carpenter and Riley Greene have combined for 35 hits and 17 RBI.
Jackson Jobe gets the ball for the Detroit Tigers, and he is 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA and 9 strikeouts this season. This will be Jobe’s first career game against the Kansas City Royals.
Why the Detroit Tigers will win
- The Tigers have won each of their last eight night games against AL Central opponents that held a losing record.
- The Royals have lost 14 of their last 15 night games against teams that held a winning record.
- The Tigers have covered the run line in each of their last 11 night games against AL Central opponents.
- The Royals have failed to cover the run line in each of their last nine games against the Tigers following a loss.
- The Royals have trailed after 3 innings in four of their last five games against AL Central opponents that held a winning record.
- The Royals have trailed after 5 innings in each of their last four night games against AL Central opponents.
Why the Kansas City Royals will win
- The favorites have won each of the Royals’ last 12 games.
- The Tigers have lost each of their last six games as home underdogs against AL Central opponents following a home win.
- The Royals have covered the run line each of their last 13 Friday games against American League opponents that held a winning record.
- The Tigers have failed to cover the run line in each of their last four night games against the Royals at Comerica Park following a home win.
- The Tigers have trailed after 3 innings in four of their last five games as underdogs.
- The Tigers have trailed after 5 innings in four of their last five games as underdogs.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Tigers rank T1st in the league for triples this season (5).
- The Tigers rank 29th in the league for steals this season (7).
- The Royals rank 30th in the league for home runs this season (10).
- The Royals rank 29th in the league for on-base percentage this season (.277).
Tigers vs Royals Prediction
The Royals are favored because Ragans is on the mound, a pitcher who has allowed six earned runs in 23.2 innings and leads the league with 34 strikeouts. However, the Royals have lost four straight games, six of their last seven games, and they’ve scored four or fewer runs in 13 straight games. The Royals aren’t scaring anybody offensively these days. Jobe has just three career starts, but the Tigers are playing better baseball overall and have shown far and away more life offensively. I’ll take a shot with the Tigers and the plus money.
