Detroit Tigers at Kansas City Royals: Game 88 Preview, TV/Radio Coverage, Lineup

Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Detroit Tigers(50-37) at Kansas City Royals(46-43) – 8:10pm EDT

Kauffman Stadium – Kansas City, MO

TV: Fox Sports Detroit

Radio: 97.1 The Ticket(click for affiliates)

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Game Notes

The Tigers are coming off a two game sweep of the NL West leading LA Dodgers and are looking to keep forward momentum going into the All Star Break.

Victor Martinez is, once again, missing from the lineup and is seemingly more and more likely that he won’t return until after the All-Star break (what that means for playing in the All-Star Game will remain to be seen.

This is an important series for both teams as Detroit looks to widen the gap between the teams atop the AL Central. The Tigers have clinched first place during the All-Star break, but the margin could be as little as a half game if Kansas City sweeps or as much as 8.5 games if Detroit sweeps.

When We Last Met

The Royals nearly completed a four game sweep of the Tigers at home in June during the period of time where the starting rotation appeared to forget how to pitch if the bats were hot and the bats went cold when the pitching was on. The Tigers eeked out a 2-1 win on June 19 to avoid the sweep and, including that win, have gone 14-5 since.

Starting Pitching

Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Drew Smyly(4-8, 3.89 ERA) got beat up in his last outing against Tampa bay, going 5.1 innings, giving up 5 runs on 7 hits and a walk. Prior to this start, and his previous start in Houston, when Smyly admittedly took the mound ill, he had been showing steady improvement and had pitched four consecutive quality starts.

Smyly looks to get back on track against the Royals, and has been successful against them in his career thus far, with a 3-1 record, 2.16 ERA in 33.1 innings pitched. Smyly’s last start against the Royals was a loss on June 18th.

Mandatory Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

Jeremy Guthrie(5-7, 4.10 ERA) got shelled in his last outing against the Cleveland Indians, pitching 4 innings and giving up 6 runs on 11 hits and two walks.

In his career against Detroit, Guthrie is 8-5 with a 3.92 ERA in 36.1 innings pitched. He last pitched against the Tigers, and Drew Smyly, on June 18th and recorded the win for Kansas City.

Detroit Tigers Lineup

1. Austin Jackson-CF
2. Ian Kinsler-2B
3. Miguel Cabrera-1B
4. J.D. Martinez-LF
5. Torii Hunter-DH
6. Nick Castellanos-3B
7. Alex Avila-C
8. Eugenio Suarez-SS
9. Don Kelly-RF

Injuries

Detroit Tigers

• Victor Martinez — Questionable
• Pat McCoy — 15-day DL
• Luke Putkonen – Out indefinitely
• Joel Hanrahan – Out indefinitely
• Andy Dirks – 60-day DL
• Jose Iglesias – Out for season
• Bruce Rondon – Out for season

Kansas City Royals

• Nori Aoki – Mid-July?
• Luke Hochevar – 2015