Kansas City Royals @ Detroit Tigers - April 17, 2025

As we gear up for Thursday’s matchup between the Kansas City Royals and Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park, it’s clear that the Royals are looking to snap a three-game losing streak against a Tigers team that has been performing solidly. With Michael Lorenzen taking the mound for Kansas City and Reese Olson representing Detroit, this game promises to be an intriguing clash of pitching styles and offensive capabilities.

Let’s break down what we can expect from both teams. The Royals enter this game with a record of 8-11, struggling significantly with their offense. They have averaged just over 3 runs per game while hitting at a meager .207 batting average. Their on-base percentage is also concerning, sitting at just above 58%. This lack of offensive production has translated into a dismal 1-5 record in their last six games. It’s no surprise that they’ve gone UNDER in 9 of their last 11 contests; when you’re not scoring, it’s hard to hit those overs.

On the other side, we have the Tigers who boast a more respectable record of 10-8. Their bats have been slightly more productive, averaging around 5 runs per game with an on-base percentage nearing 73%. While their recent performance was less than stellar—a loss to the Brewers—this team has shown resilience with an overall solid play lately, going 8-4 in their last twelve games.

When we look at pitching matchups closely, Lorenzen holds a slight edge over Olson statistically. Lorenzen comes into this game with a better ERA (3.325) compared to Olson’s (3.453), though both pitchers have similar strikeout rates—Lorenzen averaging about 8.5 strikeouts per nine innings versus Olson’s rate of around 8 strikeouts per nine innings as well.

However, despite these individual stats leaning slightly toward Lorenzen, I believe it will be difficult for him to keep his team in contention if they can’t produce runs offensively. The Royals’ struggles at the plate could very well hand the advantage back to Olson and the Tigers’ lineup.

Oddsmakers opened this contest with Detroit favored at -130 on the moneyline and set the total at 8.5 runs; given both teams’ recent trends towards lower-scoring affairs—the Royals’ inability to score coupled with Detroit’s strong pitching—we should expect another UNDER outcome here tonight.

In summary, my prediction leans heavily toward a Tigers victory given their current form and home-field advantage combined with Kansas City’s ongoing struggles offensively. Expect them to capitalize on any mistakes made by Lorenzen while maintaining strong defensive support behind Olson. As always in baseball, anything can happen—but based on data-driven insights and current trends, betting on Detroit seems like a wise move tonight!