Detroit Tigers at Kansas City Royals odds, picks and predictions

The Detroit Tigers (78-73) and Kansas City Royals (82-69) meet Tuesday as they continue a 3-game AL Central series in Missouri. The opening delivery from Kaufman Stadium is slated for 7:40 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s MLB odds around the Tigers vs. Royals odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.

Season series: Royals lead 7-4

Detroit won Monday’s lid-lifter 7-6 and has won 3 of its last 4 games and 7 of its last 9. The Tigers’ fine play of late has put them in the thick of a battle to get to October. They head into Tuesday 1 1/2 games behind the Minnesota Twins for the 3rd-and-final AL Wild Card slot.

Kansas City’s loss marked the 3rd straight 1-run game between the AL Central foes. The Royals coughed up an early 4-0 lead in having a 4-game home win streak snapped.

Tigers at Royals projected starters

RHP Casey Mize vs. LHP Cole Ragans

Mize (2-6, 4.47 ERA) is making his 20th start. He has a 1.40 WHIP, 2.2 BB/9 and 6.8 K/9 in 94 2/3 IP.

• Last outing: No-decision, 4 2/3 IP, 4 ER, 6 H, 0 BB, 7 K in 7-4 win vs. Colorado Rockies Wednesday
• Career vs. Royals: 2-2, 5.65 ERA (43 IP, 27 ER), 49 H, 10 BB, 29 K in 9 starts
• Making his 4th start off the IL (hamstring strain); has a 5.63 ERA in 16 IP since Aug. 30 return

Ragans (11-9, 3.32 ERA) is tabbed for his 31st start. He has a 1.15 WHIP, 3.1 BB/9 and 11.0 K/9 in 173 1/3 IP.

• Last outing: No-decision, 6 IP, 2 ER, 3 H, 3 BB, 7 K in 4-3 loss at New York Yankees Wednesday
• Career vs. Tigers: 2-1, 2.89 ERA (18 2/3 IP, 6 ER), 8 H, 11 BB, 27 K in 4 appearances (3 starts)

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Tigers at Royals odds

Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list of MLB odds. Lines last updated at 8:37 a.m. ET.

• Moneyline: Tigers +145 (bet $100 to win $145) | Royals -175 (bet $175 to win $100)
• Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Tigers +1.5 (-150) | Royals -1.5 (+125)
• Over/Under (O/U): 8 (O: -105 | U: -115)

Tigers at Royals picks and predictions

Prediction

Royals 4, Tigers 3

The Royals are 6-2 over their last 8 games vs. Detroit. K.C. is a solid 45-31 at home.

Mize has been yielding loud contact of late, and Ragans has been in top form. Pitching against a strong slate of opponents, Ragans has registered a 3.20 ERA since Aug. 2. Over that span, the Royals port-sider has displayed excellent bat-missing and quality-of-contact analytics. Per ESPN, current Detroit batters own an aggregate .517 OPS against him.

The back end of the Kansas City bullpen is in much better shape for this game.

TAKE KANSAS CITY (-175).

Kansas City has a good ATS mark, but this contest has a lean toward the Over, and both sides have found their ways into a ton of close games this month.

STEER CLEAR.

The Under has hit in 4 of Detroit’s last 5 games and in 8 of Kansas City’s last 11 games. Four straight Ragans outings have also cashed on the Under.

Mize has suffered through a .324 batting average on balls in play (.425 BABIP in inning lead-off situations), and there is definitely some daylight between his surface and expected ERA figures.

Peg this contest as a solid all-around pitching match-up. BET THE UNDER 8 (-115).

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