Tigers vs. Royals prediction and odds for Monday, May 22 (Trust the Tigers emerging young hitters)

Over the weekend, the Kansas City Royals got swept at the hands of the White Sox to further cement its spot at the bottom of the AL Central. Kansas City is now 14-34 five games behind fourth place Chicago and eight games behind the surprising 20-24 Detroit Tigers. The Tigers have been playing good baseball, but lost two of three to Washington over the weekend. 

For Game 1 of this three-game AL Central series in KC, the Tigers will send Michael Lorenzen to the mound. Lorenzen is 2-2 in six starts with a 3.44 ERA and will be opposed by Brady Singer. Despite a 7.09 ERA in nine starts, Singer is somehow 3-4 on the year. 

The Royals could be in trouble with Singer on the mound, but they are favorites at home for Game 1. 

Tigers vs. Royals odds, run line and total

Tigers vs. Royals prediction and pick

Brady Singer has been a decent pitcher in the past, but his 7.09 ERA to start the year could be for real. He’s been one of the worst starting pitchers in baseball.

Singer is first percentile in average exit velocity and hard hit rate, fourth percentile in xBA, fifth in xSlugging, and sixth in xERA. He has an encouraging 4.78 FIP and has made two quality starts in a row, there is some reason to believe that the worst is behind him. He gave up five home runs through his first three starts, but only two since, however he is still constantly giving up hard contact. 

Detroit has relied a good bit on its pitching in May. The club is 12th in ERA with a 3.90 and have walked the second fewest batters of any team. The Royals looked to have the hottest offense in baseball at the start of this month, but that has fallen off a cliff as they are dead last in runs scored over the past seven days with a .522 OPS over that stretch. 

Detroit’s young hitters are stepping up as well. Spencer Torkelson has a .787 OPS this month with a team high 10 RBI. Riley Greene has been even better with a .967 OPS and both have hit six doubles and two home runs this month. 

Singer has been better in May, but the numbers say he’s getting hit harder than anyone in baseball, so I’ll trust that and fade him and the Royals at home against Detroit’s emerging bats. 

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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change