Detroit Tigers vs Kansas City Royals Prediction, 5/21/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Detroit Tigers vs Kansas City Royals

Date: Friday, May 21, 2021

Location: Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO

TV: Bally Sports Kansas City

Odds/Point Spread: Detroit (+130) Kansas City (-140)

Mike Minor and the Kansas City Royals (20-22, 3rd in AL Central) play the Detroit Tigers (17-26, 4th in AL Central) at Kauffman Stadium on Friday. The Tigers open this matchup at +130 while the Royals are coming in at -140. The O/U opens at 8.5. The expected starting pitchers are Jose Urena and Mike Minor.

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As a squad, the Detroit Tigers are compiling 3.5 runs per game, which puts them at 28th in the league. They have a total of 148 runs scored while holding a team OBP of .290. The Tigers have earned 45 doubles as a unit and have knocked 40 baseballs out of the stadium. They have recorded 145 RBI's and 303 base knocks so far this season, while their average at the plate comes in at .222. Detroit has a slugging rate of .358 and have struck out 436 times, while taking a walk on 121 occasions.

Tigers pitchers have allowed 52 home runs in addition to 209 runs in total (25th in the league). They have walked 157 batters and their FIP comes in at 4.66 as a team so far this season. They have accumulated a K/BB ratio of 2.08 and the pitching staff has a team WHIP of 1.40. The Tigers are sitting with a team earned run average of 4.74 for the year (25th in the league), and their staff has rung up 327 hitters.

The Tigers have sent 130 relievers to the hill this season. The relievers have inherited 64 runners so far this year with 35.9% of those players crossed the plate. They have accumulated 9 saves so far this year and have blown 6 of their 15 chances to save the game. The Tigers relief pitchers have compiled a save rate of 60.0% and has come into the game in 34 save situations. The relief pitchers have accumulated 18 holds for the season (20th in the league). Tigers pitchers have stepped onto the hill with opponents on base 39 times and also have had 29 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Detroit Tigers have 1,079 putouts this year, as well as 367 assists and 28 errors. Their fielding rate is at .981 which is 25th in pro baseball, and have a total of 306 double plays. The Tigers have transformed 69.5% of balls hit into play into outs out of 3,237 innings on the diamond, ranking them 18th in pro baseball.

Urena has taken the hill for 639 innings and has tallied 438 strikeouts so far in his career. His earned run average is 4.57 (325 ER's allowed) and his WHIP is 1.348. He has given up 635 hits (8.9 hits per 9 innings) and has 227 free passes. Urena (33-50 career win-loss record) has earned a FIP of 4.67 and he has gone up against 2,742 opposing hitters during his time in the majors.

The Kansas City Royals are sitting with a team OBP of .304 as well as a batting average of .233 on the season. They have been rung up on 333 instances (27th in the league) and have earned a total of 309 base hits. Kansas City has hit 37 home runs on the season and 156 RBIs. The Royals have a team SLG% of .373 and they are recording 4.05 runs per contest (22nd in the league). They have notched 56 doubles, while walking 129 times as well as scoring 166 runs.

The Royals hold a team WHIP of 1.393 with a FIP of 4.00 as a pitching staff for the year. They are sitting at 17th in baseball as a staff in total hits conceded with 333. The Kansas City pitching staff have allowed 194 runs for the year while holding a team ERA of 4.54 (178 earned runs relinquished). Their K/BB ratio comes in at 2.28 (362 strikeouts vs 159 walks). They have relinquished 39 homers and they give up 4.94 runs per 9 innings (23rd in the league).

With 37 save situations, the Royals have recorded 21 holds and 6 blown saves. Kansas City has called on bullpen pitchers to step onto the mound in 16 save chances and they have tallied 10 saves. Their bullpen pitchers have come in 45 times in high leverage situations and also on 47 occasions with runners on. Kansas City bullpen pitchers hold an inherited score percentage of 27.4% of 73 inherited runners. They rank 14th in baseball with a save rate of 62.5%, and they have dispatched 141 relievers onto the diamond so far this season.

The Kansas City Royals have turned 35 double plays and have a fielding percentage of .982 (21st in baseball). The Royals have accrued 330 assists, 25 errors and have a tally of 1,060 putouts on the season. In 3,180 innings on the diamond, the Royals have a efficiency on defense of 67.8% (27th in MLB).

During his career, Minor has conceded 1,108 hits while he has earned 1,092 punch outs in 1,195 frames. He has surrendered a total of 534 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.221 and a FIP of 4.0. His strikeout to walk ratio is 3.10 and he has faced 4,960 hitters in his pro baseball career. Minor (74-68 career mark) holds a 4.02 ERA while allowing 8.3 hits per 9 innings.

Who will win tonight's MLB game against the spread?

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Kansas City (-140)

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