Probable pitchers and starting lineups, KC Royals vs. Detroit, April 27

For the KC Royals, the late stages of Friday's game at Detroit's Comerica Park looked too much like so many of last season's contests that went terribly wrong. Yes, they led going into the ninth inning, but had only moments before escaped a threatening eighth when John Schreiber stranded two Tiger runners by striking out Spencer Torkelson to end the inning.

And Kansas City's 1-0 lead was the kind of razor-thin margin the club frequently choked up too often during last year's 106-loss campaign.

But this is a new season and, thankfully, a new team, one seemingly impervious to the kinds of breakdowns it suffered in 2023. With some help from their hosts — Tiger reliever Tyler Holton twice hit batters with the bases loaded, for example — the Royals exploded for seven ninth-inning runs and struggling Will Smith shut down Detroit in the ninth to give KC a series-opening 8-0 win.

The victory, Kansas City's17th in 27 games, broke the franchise record for most wins in April held until Friday by the 1989 and 2003 clubs. It also put the Royals in a position to which they've become accustomed — they can win this three-game series by beating Detroit tonight.

First pitch is set for 5:10 p.m. CDT. Here's how the contest shapes up.

Who are tonight's starting pitchers?

Righthander Brady Singer starts for the Royals this evening. He's 2-1 with a 2.76 ERA in five starts. Minnesota knocked him around for five runs in six innings Monday, so he'll be looking to bounce back against the Tigers.

Opposing Singer will be righty Casey Mize, who's 1-0, 2.95 after missing last season recovering and rehabbing from Tommy John Surgery. Mize is 2-1 with a 4.71 ERA in seven career starts against Kansas City.

Who's in Kansas City's lineup?

Here's manager Matt Quatraro's lineup:

Who's playing for Detroit?

Manager A.J. Hinch's Tigers line up like this:

Who's heating up for the KC Royals?

Center fielder Kyle Isbel and third baseman Maikel García have both battled their bats for much of this searly season. Fortunately, though, both show recent signs of breaking out in their last five games.

After going 2-for-4 Friday, García is 7-for-17 (412) with a homer, five RBI, and three walks. And Isbel, whose defense is excellent while his bat disappoints, is 5-for-13 (.384) with a home run and two RBI after his 1-or-2 performance Friday.

And Salvador Perez doesn't need to heat up because he's already hot. Friday single extended his hitting streak to five games; he's also hit safely in eight of his last 10 and his .344 average is second only to Jose Altuve's .346 in the American League.

How can Royals fans catch Saturday's game?

Bally Sports Kansas City is televising the contest in the Kansas City viewing area; KC fans in the Detroit area can find the action on Bally Sports Detroit. Streaming information is in our guide to watching and listening to the Royals.

KCSP-AM 610 Sports Radio has the game in the KC listening area, and listeners in other locations can hear it on the Royals Radio Network.

More about the KC Royals from Kings of Kauffman