Tigers at Royals
Mike Moustakas returned to the Kansas City Royals by default as interest for his services was lukewarm when he hit the free-agent market. But the 29-year-old third baseman is adding to his franchise laurels as Kansas City concludes its three-game series against the visiting Detroit Tigers on Wednesday afternoon.
Moustakas belted his 20th homer in Tuesday's 5-4 victory to become just the seventh player in club history to post four or more 20-homer campaigns. All-Star Salvador Perez also stood out by going 3-for-4 with a homer and two RBIs as the Royals won for the fourth time in five games. Detroit has dropped eight of its last 10 road contests and is a porous 17-35 away from home this season. Victor Martinez hit a three-run homer for the Tigers, the 39-year-old's first blast since May 19.
TV: 2:15 p.m. ET, FS Detroit, FS Kansas City
PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers LH Matthew Boyd (4-9, 4.62 ERA) vs. Royals LH Danny Duffy (6-8, 4.40)
Boyd has dropped three straight starts and is 0-5 over his last seven outings. The 27-year-old has allowed five or more runs on four occasions during the winless stretch and has worked five or fewer innings five times. Boyd has gone 0-2 with a 3.46 ERA in two starts against Kansas City this year to fall to 2-6 with a 6.79 ERA in 11 career meetings.
Duffy has won back-to-back outings and allowed just one run in 20 innings over his last three turns. The 29-year-old gave up one run and five hits over seven innings against Minnesota in his last start as he ended an eight-start home winless streak. Duffy was roughed up for six runs and 10 hits over 4 2/3 frames in a loss to the Tigers on April 21 and is 7-9 with a 4.32 ERA in 23 career appearances (20 starts).
WALK-OFFS
1. Royals 1B Lucas Duda went 0-for-3 on Tuesday to halt his five-game hitting streak.
2. Detroit CF Leonys Martin is hitless in seven at-bats in the series and 0-for-11 with five strikeouts in his last three games.
3. Kansas City reinstated INF Adalberto Mondesi from the family medical emergency leave list and optioned OF Paulo Orlando to Triple-A Omaha.