Royals at Tigers (Game 1)
The Detroit Tigers are starting to turn things around following a dreadful start to the season that was interrupted by a string of weather-related postponements. After completing a three-game sweep of one slumping club, the Tigers prepare to face another one when they host the Kansas City Royals in a four-game set beginning with a split-doubleheader on Friday.
Detroit followed a five-game game slide and three straight postponements against the New York Yankees by beating up on Baltimore, outscoring the Orioles 23-15 in the series. Leonys Martin belted a grand slam among three hits and Jeimer Candelario collected four hits and drove in three runs to give the Tigers seven hits and seven RBIs out of the top two spots in the lineup. Kansas City owns the worst record in the American League at 3-13 and enters the series mired in an eight-game losing streak after it was outscored 31-12 in a three-game sweep in Toronto. The Royals managed to earn a split of two meetings in Detroit at the beginning of April despite scoring a combined two runs.
TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FS Kansas City, FS Detroit
PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Jakob Junis (2-1, 1.93 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Michael Fulmer (1-2, 3.86)
Junis turned in a gem in a 1-0 victory against Detroit in his season debut, permitting three hits and striking out six over seven scoreless innings. The 25-year-old was even better in his next turn, blanking Seattle on one hit over seven innings, but he was touched for four runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings to take the loss versus the Los Angeles Angels last time out. Junis was 2-1 with a 6.75 ERA versus the Tigers in 2017.
Fulmer also tossed a masterpiece in his season debut but came out on the short end of a 1-0 decision to Pittsburgh despite yielding one run on four hits over eight innings. The 25-year-old earned the win at the White Sox on April 7 with 5 1/3 scoreless innings but was pounded for nine runs over three-plus innings at Cleveland last time out. Fulmer has made seven career starts against the Royals, posting a 2-4 record and 3.33 ERA.
WALK-OFFS
1. Candelario is 9-for-17 with three homers and six RBIs during a four-game hitting streak.
2. Kansas City's bullpen has a major league-worst 7.94 ERA.
3. Tigers DH Victor Martinez has hit safely in five straight games.