The Kansas City Royals just pushed their winning streak to seven games last night, beating the Detroit Tigers 5-2. That loss, the first of this road trip’s second half, wasn’t just another notch in the L column for the Tigers; it showed exactly why fans are pulling their hair out: their bullpen absolutely sputtered, and the offense went quiet. Now, the Tigers are facing a Saturday night game where they need to even this three-game series, and the pitching matchup, especially for Detroit, is a huge question mark.
Drew Anderson’s Struggles and the Bullpen’s Epic Meltdown
Detroit hands the ball to right-hander Drew Anderson for his fifth start of the season. His overall 4-4 record and 4.01 ERA might not look terrible at first glance, but man, he’s had some rough patches. He was solid as an extended opener earlier, flashing a 1.17 ERA over two outings, but his 4.91 FIP hinted at trouble beneath the surface. That trouble erupted in his last start against the White Sox, where he gave up three runs on four hits, including a homer, plus two walks in a 7-5 loss. Even worse? His relief appearances against the Royals this season have been flat-out disastrous. He coughed up three runs in just 1/3 inning back on April 16, then three more in two innings on May 10, and another run in one inning on July 23. You just can’t feel good about him on the mound today with that track record against these guys.
But Anderson’s woes are just part of the story. The Tigers bullpen in high-leverage situations is historically bad, like, jaw-droppingly bad. Before Friday night’s game, we’re talking about relievers in the 7th, 8th, 9th, and extra innings with a disgusting 10.01 ERA, which is dead last in MLB at 30th. They’re also 30th in wOBA (.384), 30th in opponent average (.301), and 30th in slugging (.532). It’s an absolute horror show. How do you explain the 3.98 xFIP, which ranks 7th? It means this team is getting absolutely shredded despite underlying metrics saying they should be better. That’s just brutal luck, or maybe some serious mental blocks.
Can Michael Wacha Continue His Tiger Dominance?
Across the field, the Royals are sending out right-hander Michael Wacha. He’s got a 6-8 record and a 3.58 ERA overall, and while he’s had a “mostly strong showing this season,” his last two starts have been a bit shaky. Over his most recent 11 2/3 innings, Wacha has put up a 5.40 ERA and a 6.17 FIP, giving up 13 hits, four homers, and somehow, zero walks, while striking out eight. He did manage to snag a win in one of those outings, which is wild.
Here’s the thing that’s gotta worry Tigers fans, though: Wacha has been absolutely lights-out against Detroit this season. He’s thrown two quality starts, both leading to Royals wins. On May 9, he carved them up for seven scoreless innings, giving up just two hits and two walks while fanning six. Then on July 25, he tossed another seven innings of two-run ball on six hits, one homer, two walks, and three strikeouts. He knows how to pitch to this lineup, and he’s delivered big for the Royals every time he’s faced them.
Tonight, the Tigers need to somehow turn the page on a seven-game Royals winning streak and their own bullpen nightmares if they want to avoid losing this series outright. It’s Game 129, and a loss puts them further behind. This Saturday night showdown kicks off at 7:15 p.m. ET at Kauffman Stadium.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bless You Boys.
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