Time: 6:10 PM ET
Venue: Comerica Park, Detroit, MI
TV: Fox Sports Detroit • Bally Sports Kansas City
Team Records & Recent Form
- Kansas City Royals: 66–63 overall, 30–33 on the road.
- Detroit Tigers: 77–53 overall, 43–24 at home.
The Tigers have won eight of nine games as home favorites this season, while Kansas City has gone 6–4 in its last ten road matchups.
Season Series
- Detroit leads the season series 6–2, including a three-game sweep in their last visit to Comerica Park. Saturday’s tilt marks the ninth meeting of the year.
Probable Pitchers
| Team | Starter | 2025 Line |
|---|---|---|
| Royals (Away) | Michael Wacha (R) | 8–9, 3.34 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 104 K |
| Tigers (Home) | Chris Paddack (R) | 4–11, 5.10 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 96 K |
Wacha has allowed two runs or fewer in seven of his last eight starts and will look to frustrate a hot Detroit lineup. Paddack has logged six quality starts this year, is averaging 5.3 innings per outing, and seeks his third straight appearance of at least five frames.
Key Matchups
- Spencer Torkelson (DET) vs. Wacha: Torkelson paces Detroit with 26 homers and 25 doubles, and he’s 12-for-35 (.343) against righties over the last month.
- Riley Greene (DET) vs. Wacha: Greene has five extra-base hits in his last ten games and thrives when Detroit gets early offense rolling.
- Maikel Garcia (KC) vs. Paddack: Garcia leads Kansas City with a .301 batting average and will look to punish any elevated fastballs.
- Bobby Witt Jr. (KC) vs. Paddack: Witt has hit safely in 11 straight and will test Paddack’s command with his plus plate discipline.
- Detroit is 51–25 when favored by at least –125 and has covered the spread in six of eight such spots this season.
- Kansas City, at +105 underdogs, is 34–40 as an underdog and has split its last ten games against the number.
What to Watch
- Wacha’s Adjustment: Can he rebound from recent struggles by leaning more on his breaking ball?
- Bullpen Battle: Detroit’s relievers rank top-five in inherited runners stranded; key eighth-inning matchups could swing the over/under.
- Weather Watch: Forecast calls for clear skies and a light northwest breeze (8 mph), which could suppress fly-ball carry down the alleys.
Game Odds
Kansas City Royals 8.5
Detroit Tigers – 125
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odds Direct as of Friday, August 22, 2025
