Royals at Tigers
The Kansas City Royals are surging up the American League Central standings and haven't lost a series since May 29-31, when they dropped two of three at home to the Detroit Tigers. The Royals will try to get some revenge and continue their ascent when they visit the Tigers for the start of a three-game series on Tuesday.
Kansas City was 22-30 at the end of May but is 15-7 this month, including 11 wins in the last 14 games, to pull up to .500 and start putting pressure on the teams atop the AL Central. The Tigers are sliding in the opposite direction and lost eight in a row before pulling out of the funk with a 7-5 win at San Diego on Sunday. "Any time you have a losing streak like that, it's nice to get that win and get the monkey off your back," Detroit centerfielder Mikie Mahtook, who drove in the go-ahead runs with a single in the ninth, told reporters. The Tigers have a chance to put back-to-back wins together with ace Justin Verlander on the mound Tuesday while the Royals counter with lefty Matt Strahm.
TV: 7:10 p.m. ET, FSN Kansas City, FSN Detroit
PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals LH Matt Strahm (2-4, 4.80 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Justin Verlander (4-4, 4.52)
Strahm is trying to establish himself as a major-league starter and followed up an encouraging starting debut with a poor effort last time out. The 25-year-old, who allowed a total of one run in his last six relief appearances and scattered three hits over five frames in his first start on June 15, was reached for five runs and seven hits in three innings to suffer a loss against Boston last Tuesday. Strahm allowed one hit in three scoreless innings over two relief appearances against Detroit last month.
Verlander was perfect through five innings at Seattle on Wednesday but came apart in the sixth and ended up allowing three runs and four hits while striking out 11 in 5 2/3 frames. The former MVP is winless in his last six starts despite allowing three or fewer earned runs in the last five. Verlander's lone loss in that span came at Kansas City on May 30, when he was charged with one run and six hits in seven innings but came out on the wrong end of a 1-0 final.
WALK-OFFS
1. Tigers 1B Miguel Cabrera went 1-for-12 over the weekend to drop his batting average to .261.
2. Royals SS Alcides Escobar's seven-game hitting streak pushed his average up to .210.
3. Kansas City LHP Mike Minor allowed a total of one run in his last 10 appearances, covering 11 innings.