Gamethread XXVIII - Royals at Tigers

Can they start a series winning streak, too?

Last week about this time I was telling you that we might be in for a pitcher’s duel. Presumptive aces Cole Ragans and Corbin Burnes were facing each other. It, of course, ended in a slugfest, instead. Were I prone to repeating my mistakes, I might make the same proclomation today.

This week, Brady Singer and Casey Mize will face off for the first time since 2018 when both pitchers were in college. Both pitchers were drafted in the first round of that year’s MLB draft, with high hopes placed upon their shoulders. Both have had their ups and down, but both appear to be pitching significantly better this year, even though neither of them is remotely the best pitcher on their staff. But they’ve still been quite good, even if I think Singer has been a bit lucky.

Here’s a weird stat for you, Mize has allowed exactly five hits in every game he’s started this year. I don’t know that that means anything, but it’s still weird. He didn’t allow a single run in six shutout innings in his last start against the Twins. The Twins haven’t been very good since winning their first series against the Royals, though, so I don’t know that that means anything, either.

In any case, yesterday’s game was a pitcher’s duel right up until it wasn’t and the Detroit bullpen didn’t get any better overnight and the Royals’ bullpen didn’t get any worse, especially since almost everyone in it has now had two days’ rest following Wednesday’s rainy mess and yesterday’s efficient outing by Seth Lugo. Keep an eye on Chris Stratton, he’s shown a proclivity toward pitching poorly if he goes too long in between outings so I’d expect to see him at some point regardless of the score.

Lineups