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The Detroit Tigers<\/a> have been in control of the American League Central for much of the season, carrying a division lead that has at times looked insurmountable. Yet baseball has a way of testing even the steadiest teams, and Detroit has hit turbulence at the wrong moment. Entering their weekend set against the Kansas City Royals<\/a>, the Tigers are coming off a four-game skid that included a sweep at the hands of the Oakland Athletics.<\/p>\n For manager A.J. Hinch, the message to his club after the disaster in Oakland was straightforward: the Tigers need to \u201cbe better.\u201d The club\u2019s trip to northern California exposed weaknesses in all phases of the game. Detroit went just 3-for-26 with runners in scoring position, committed six errors, and watched each of its starting pitchers allow at least five runs. The series ended with a lifeless 7-0 loss in which the offense managed only two hits.<\/p>\n \u201cThings can change in a heartbeat,\u201d Hinch said afterward. \u201cI think when you get outplayed on offense, defense, pitching, kind of across the board, it\u2019s painful to watch sometimes and painful to experience as a team. We\u2019re going to head to Kansas City and be better.\u201d<\/p>\n Detroit enters the series with an 8.5-game cushion atop the Central, but the Royals have been surging in August, closing ground in the wild-card race and showing signs of being a dangerous spoiler \u2014 or perhaps more.<\/p>\n While Detroit has stumbled, Kansas City has gained confidence. The Royals are just 7-3 against the Tigers this season, but they\u2019ve taken 11 of their last 16 overall and are just three games out of the final American League wild-card slot.<\/p>\n The key has been the play of Bobby Witt Jr., who is currently in the midst of a 16-game hitting streak while batting .397 with nine RBIs during that stretch. Witt has quickly emerged as one of the premier young stars in MLB, combining elite athleticism with the ability to deliver in clutch moments. His presence alone keeps Kansas City competitive, but he has been well-supported.<\/p>\n Vinnie Pasquantino has been another major factor, hitting .333 with two homers and seven RBIs in his last seven games against Detroit. His bat has given the Royals consistent production in the middle of the lineup, allowing the offense to string together rallies.<\/p>\n Adam Frazier added fuel to the fire with a three-hit performance in Wednesday\u2019s 12-1 rout of the White Sox, signaling that Kansas City\u2019s role players are contributing as well. \u201cEverything is in front of us,\u201d Frazier told the Kansas City Radio Network. \u201cWe\u2019ve just got to take care of business.\u201d<\/p>\nRoyals\u2019 resurgence powered by Witt Jr. and Pasquantino<\/h2>\n