Royals play Tigers, look to build on 4-game win streak

Detroit Tigers (40-97, fifth in the AL Central) vs. Kansas City Royals (51-89, fourth in the AL Central)

Kansas City, Kansas; Thursday, 1:15 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Tigers: Matthew Boyd (7-10, 4.58 ERA) Royals: Glenn Sparkman (3-10, 5.86 ERA)

LINE: Tigers -116; over/under is 9 1/2 runs

BOTTOM LINE: Kansas City enters the matchup as winners of their last four games.

The Royals are 27-38 against AL Central teams. Kansas City is hitting a collective batting average of .245 this season, led by Whit Merrifield with an average of .302.

The Tigers are 19-43 in division games. Detroit’s team on-base percentage of .292 is last in the MLB. Miguel Cabrera leads the club with an OBP of .343. The Royals won the last meeting 5-4. Jakob Junis earned his ninth victory and Jorge Soler went 1-for-4 with a home run and an RBI for Kansas City. Edwin Jackson took his ninth loss for Detroit.

TOP PERFORMERS: Soler leads the Royals with 67 extra base hits and is batting .253. Merrifield has 14 hits and is batting .333 over the last 10 games for Kansas City.

Brandon Dixon leads the Tigers with 36 extra base hits and is slugging .443. Victor Reyes has 18 hits and is batting .429 over the last 10 games for Detroit.

LAST 10 GAMES: Royals: 6-4, .278 batting average, 7.02 ERA, outscored by 20 runs

Tigers: 1-9, .263 batting average, 5.98 ERA, outscored by 29 runs

Royals Injuries: Trevor Oaks: (hip), Jake Newberry: (shoulder), Salvador Perez: (elbow).

Tigers Injuries: Tyson Ross: (nerve), Matt Moore: (knee), Blaine Hardy: (elbow), Michael Fulmer: (elbow), JaCoby Jones: (wrist), Niko Goodrum: (groin), John Hicks: (illness).