<\/p>\n
Stan Son takes you through his preview, prediction and pick for Saturday\u2019s game between the Royals and Tigers.<\/p>\n
This is the second game of a three-game series in Detroit between the Tigers<\/a> and visiting Kansas City Royals<\/a>.<\/p>\n Michael Wacha<\/strong> is scheduled to pitch for Kansas City, while Chris Paddack<\/strong> is slated to start for Detroit.<\/p>\n Michael Wacha has been solid yet unspectacular. The ERA of 3.34 is supported by the 3.59 FIP. The strikeout rate is only 17.7%, but the walk rate is 6.3%, while he\u2019s only allowed 12 home runs in 142.2 innings. The average exit velocity is only 87.3 mph, while the hard-hit rate is 33%. The swinging-strike rate is a respectable 10.3%.<\/p>\n Nine of the 12 home runs have come off the bat of righties. Eight of the 12 home runs have been served up on the road. The K-BB% is 6% lower on the road, while the FIP is over a run higher.<\/p>\n Wacha has allowed more than three earned runs in five of 25 starts. He\u2019s gone at least six innings 11 times. He\u2019s faced Detroit twice this season. The first start was in Detroit back in April. Wacha went 5.1 innings, did not walk a batter, struck out five, and allowed two earned runs on seven hits. The other meeting was at home on May 31st. He went seven innings, walked one, struck out six, and did not allow an earned run on one hit.<\/p>\n Against right-handed pitching, the Tigers have struck out at the third-highest rate while having the 10th-best ISO. Their wOBA is 15th-best in MLB.<\/p>\n Chris Paddack doesn\u2019t walk many batters but has a strikeout rate of only 17.2%. He also gets hit hard. The average exit velocity is 90.4 mph, and the hard-hit rate is 44.9%. He\u2019s allowed 23 home runs in 132.1 innings. The ERA is 5.10, while the FIP is 4.69.<\/p>\n Fourteen of the 23 home runs have come off the bat of lefties. Seventeen of the 23 home runs have been served up on the road.<\/p>\n Paddack has allowed more than three earned runs in eight of 25 starts. He\u2019s given up at least eight earned runs in a start three times. This will be the first time facing Kansas City this season.<\/p>\n The Royals have struck out at the 29th-highest rate against left-handed pitching while ranking 18th in ISO. Their wOBA ranks 25th as well.<\/p>\n As for the bullpens, Kansas City has the 10th-lowest FIP, while Detroit has the 23rd-lowest.<\/p>\n I like Wacha to continue pitching well, while Paddack gets shelled. Pasquantino into the cheap seats!<\/p>\n
\nRoyals at Tigers prediction, preview<\/h2>\n
Royals at Tigers pick, best bet<\/h2>\n