Detroit at Kansas City: Tigers look to continue hot streak against the Royals

Things have been looking up for the Detroit Tigers in recent days, who come off a three-game sweep of the Mariners in Seattle while also having won four of their last games after a three-week doldrums. Now they travel to Kansas City to face their intradivision rivals on the road looking to continue the hot streak.

The Royals also enter the weekend having swept their previous series — a two-gamer against the Pittsburgh Pirates — and have also won four of their last six. KC currently sits a couple of games below .500 and holds the middle spot in the American League Central while the Tigers are trying desperately to claw their way up the standings. Here is a look at the pitching matchup for Friday night.

Detroit Tigers (17-26) at Kansas City Royals (20-22)

Time/Place: 8:10 p.m., Kauffman Stadium
SB Nation site: Royals Review
Media: Bally Sports Detroit, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Pitching Matchup: RHP José Ureña (1-4, 4.22 ERA) vs. LHP Mike Minor (3-2, 5.02 ERA)

After a four-game stretch of quality starts, José Ureña has finally fallen back to Earth over his past two outings, punctuated by the turd he dropped against the Chicago Cubs on May 15. Lasting just 2 ²⁄₃ innings, he gave up four earned runs on five hits while walking and striking out one apiece. The Tigers went on to seize victory from the jaws of defeat in the 10-inning affair, but the results from the right-handed hurler were far from satisfactory.

Kansas City’s Mike Minor has not been the sharpest this season but in his last appearance against the Chicago White Sox also on May 15, he earned a win with a seven-inning effort in which he gave up just two hits, two walks and an earned run — on a solo home run — while striking out seven. It was by far his best performance this season after a very unremarkable start to the 2021 campaign.