Tigers Game Preview: Detroit vs Royals - September 16, 2024 - Odds, Insights and More

The Detroit Tigers are heading into Monday night’s showdown against the Kansas City Royals with more than just a win on their minds—it’s about keeping those playoff dreams alive. After a solid 4-2 victory over the Orioles, the Tigers are rolling into Kansas City with momentum on their side. But the Royals? They’ve got an ace in their pocket, and his name is Seth Lugo.

The Tigers have been putting up a fight lately, especially on the road. They’ve won five straight against AL Central teams, showing grit in tough environments. But tonight, they face a Royals squad that’s almost untouchable at home, thanks in no small part to Lugo’s dominance.

With a 16-8 record and a 2.94 ERA, Lugo has been dealing all season—and, unfortunately for Detroit, he’s got their number. The Tigers know all too well what Lugo’s capable of; he’s 3-0 with a microscopic 1.29 ERA against them.

How to Tune in

• Date: September 16, 2024
• Time: 7:40 PM ET
• Where: Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium (Kansas City, Missouri)
• TV: Bally Sports, DirecTV (channel 663), MLB Extra Innings
• Streaming: Fubo, MLB.TV
• Radio: 97.1 The Ticket

Odds

• Moneyline: Tigers +122 | Royals -145
• Spread: Tigers +1.5 (-178) | Royals -1.5 (+150)
• Total: Over/Under (8.5)
  • Tigers: Over (-105)
  • Royals: Over (-115)
• Odds provided by Ceasars Sportsbook

Ceasars Sportsbook has the Royals as the favorites tonight, and for good reason. The moneyline has the Tigers at +122 and the Royals at -145. For spread bettors, Detroit gets a slight edge at +1.5 (-178), but the Royals’ -1.5 spread is enticing at +150. The total is set at 8.5 runs, with the over at -105 for Detroit and -115 for Kansas City.

Predictions

This game is going to be a nail-biter. The Tigers have been playing great ball recently, especially on the road, but they’re running into a Royals team that’s been nearly unbeatable at home.

Seth Lugo is a big reason for that. He’s 16-8 with a 2.94 ERA this season, and his career numbers against Detroit (3-0 with a 1.29 ERA) suggest it’ll be tough for the Tigers to break through. Detroit won’t go down without a fight, but Kansas City has the edge in this one. Expect a close, competitive game.

Score Prediction: Royals 5, Tigers 3.

Players to Watch

• Bobby Witt Jr. (Royals): The Tigers might want to avoid leaving anything over the plate for this guy. Witt’s been an absolute force at the dish, and he’s playing his best baseball right when Kansas City needs him most.
• Riley Greene and Matt Vierling (Tigers): These two are Detroit’s best hopes for getting anything going against Lugo. They’ll need to come up big if the Tigers want to keep pace in the playoff race.

This game is as much about surviving as it is thriving for Detroit. They’ve been clutch on the road, and they’re not about to back down now. But with Lugo on the mound and the Royals hot at home, it’s going to be an uphill climb for the Tigers. Either way, expect a tight, competitive contest with postseason ramifications.