On Friday, the Kansas City Royals (61-49) are visiting the Detroit Tigers (52-58), at 6:40 PM ET. The Tigers have dropped four straight.

The Tigers are projected as a tight favorite (-117 moneyline odds) against the Royals (-102). The Tigers will give the ball to Tarik Skubal (12-3) against the Royals and Cole Ragans (7-7).

These squads play again after the Royals’ 7-1 victory over the Tigers yesterday. Seth Lugo (8.0 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 3 K) picked up the win for the Royals. Vinnie Pasquantino went 2-for-5 with two home runs and four RBI to lead the team on offense. Keider Montero (7.0 IP, 4 R, 6 H, 3 K) took the loss on the mound for the Tigers.

Ahead of the Tigers vs. Royals matchup, here is what you need to prepare for Friday’s baseball action, including viewing options.

Detroit Tigers vs. Kansas City Royals odds and betting lines

MLB odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Odds updated Friday at 3:16 PM ET. For a full list of sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub.

  • Favorite: Tigers (-117, bet $117 to win $100)
  • Underdog: Royals (-102, bet $102 to win $100)
  • Over/under: 7

Tigers vs. Royals: Live streaming info & game time

  • Game Day: Friday, August 2, 2024
  • Game Time: 6:40 PM ET
  • Stadium: Comerica Park
  • TV Channel: MLB.tv
  • Live Stream: Fubo (Watch for free)

Tigers stats and trends

Tigers betting records

  • The Tigers have entered the game as favorites 45 times this season and won 23, or 51.1%, of those games.
  • Detroit is 18-17 this season when entering a game favored by -117 or more on the moneyline.
  • Bookmakers have implied with the moneyline set for this matchup that the Tigers have a 53.9% chance to win.
  • So far this season, Detroit and its opponents have hit the over in 59 of 110 games with a total.
  • The Tigers are 55-54-0 against the spread in their 109 chances this season.

Tarik Skubal (Tigers probable starter)

  • Skubal (12-3) gets the starting nod for the Tigers in his 22nd start of the season. He’s put together a 2.35 ERA in 130 2/3 innings pitched, with 154 strikeouts.
  • The lefty last pitched on Saturday against the Minnesota Twins, when he went seven innings, allowing two earned runs while giving up five hits.
  • The 27-year-old has put up an ERA of 2.35, with 10.7 strikeouts per nine innings, in 21 games this season. Opposing hitters have a .199 batting average against him.
  • Skubal is trying to build on a sixth-game quality start streak in this game.
  • Skubal will aim to go five or more innings for his seventh straight appearance. He’s averaging 6.2 frames per outing.
  • In six of his appearances this season he did not give up an earned run.
  • He will take the mound against a Royals offense that ranks 10th in MLB with 924 total hits (on a .252 batting average). The squad also slugs a collective .412 (11th in MLB) with 117 total home runs (17th in MLB).
  • Skubal has thrown 12 innings, giving up five earned runs on 10 hits while striking out 12 against the Royals this season.
  • The 27-year-old ranks first in ERA (2.35), second in WHIP (.923), and seventh in K/9 (10.7) among qualifying pitchers in MLB action this season.

Tigers batting stats

  • The Tigers rank 20th in Major League Baseball with 112 home runs.
  • Fueled by 301 extra-base hits, Detroit ranks 20th in MLB with a .382 slugging percentage this season.
  • The Tigers have a team batting average of just .230 this season, which ranks 27th among MLB teams.
  • Detroit has scored the 19th-most runs in the majors this season with 460 (4.2 per game).
  • The Tigers have an on-base percentage of .295 this season, which ranks 28th in the league.
  • Detroit is ranked 20th in strikeouts per game (8.6) among MLB offenses.

Royals stats and trends

Royals betting records

  • The Royals have been underdogs in 57 games this season and have come away with the win 26 times (45.6%) in those contests.
  • This year, Kansas City has won 21 of 48 games when listed as at least -102 or worse on the moneyline.
  • The moneyline set for this matchup implies the Royals have a 50.5% chance of coming away with a victory in the contest.
  • Kansas City’s games have gone over the total in 46 of its 110 opportunities.
  • The Royals are 62-48-0 against the spread in their 110 games that had a posted line this season.

Cole Ragans (Royals probable starter)

  • Ragans makes the start for the Royals, his 23rd of the season. He is 7-7 with a 3.37 ERA and 153 strikeouts over 128 1/3 innings pitched.
  • The lefty’s last appearance was on Sunday against the Chicago Cubs, when he went 5 2/3 innings, surrendering four earned runs while allowing eight hits.
  • The 26-year-old has a 3.37 ERA and 10.7 strikeouts per nine innings over 22 games this season, while giving up a batting average of .226 to his opponents.
  • Ragans is looking to pick up his 16th quality start of the season.
  • Ragans will try to build on a five-game streak of lasting five or more innings (he’s averaging 5.8 frames per outing).
  • He has had four appearances this season that he kept his opponents to zero earned runs.
  • He will match up with a Tigers offense that ranks 26th in the league with 845 total hits (on a .230 batting average). The team also slugs a collective .382 (20th in the league) with 112 total home runs (20th in MLB play).
  • Head-to-head against the Tigers this season, Ragans has pitched six innings without giving up an earned run on one hit, while striking out 12.
  • This season, the 26-year-old ranks 22nd in ERA (3.37), 35th in WHIP (1.169), and seventh in K/9 (10.7) among qualifying pitchers.

Royals batting stats

  • The Royals average 1.1 home runs per game to rank 17th in MLB play with 117 total home runs.
  • So far this year, Kansas City’s .412 slugging percentage is 11th in baseball.
  • The Royals have the eighth-best batting average in the majors (.252).
  • Kansas City scores the eighth-most runs in baseball (519 total, 4.7 per game).
  • The Royals are 16th in the majors with an on-base percentage of .311.

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