Kansas City Royals vs Detroit Tigers Prediction, 4/16/2026 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Kansas City Royals vs Detroit Tigers

Date: Thursday, April 16, 2026

Location: Comerica Park in Detroit, MI

TV: Detroit SportsNet

Odds/Point Spread: Kansas City (+125) Detroit (-145)

The Kansas City Royals (7-10) are en route to Comerica Park on Thursday where they will play the Detroit Tigers (8-9). The moneyline on this contest has the Royals at +125 and the Tigers are priced at -145. The betting total is set at 8.5. The pitchers taking the mound will be Kris Bubic and Keider Montero.

The Royals have compiled 23 two-baggers as a unit and have hit 13 baseballs out of the park. Kansas City has a slugging rate of .331 and have been rung up 141 times, while taking a walk on 62 occasions. As a team, the Kansas City Royals are earning 3.2 runs per outing, which ranks them 28th in MLB. They have recorded 51 runs batted in as well as 116 hits over the course of the season, and their team batting average comes in at .216. They are sitting with 55 runs scored and hold an OBP of .304.

Get all of our MLB Expert Picks

The Royals are sitting with a team earned run average of 3.81 this season (11th in baseball), and they have rung up 144 batters. Royals pitchers have given up 17 long balls in addition to 67 total runs (8th in the league). Their pitching staff has walked 69 hitters and their FIP comes in at 4.20 as a squad on the campaign. Kansas City has yielded 123 hits (7.5 per 9 innings) in addition to 63 earned runs. Their strikeout to walk ratio is 2.09 and the pitching staff holds a collective WHIP of 1.30.

Royals relief pitchers have come into the game with runners on 9 times in addition to having 10 appearances in high leverage situations. The bullpen have a total of 7 holds for the season (22nd in the league). The Royals relief pitchers have earned a save percentage of 77.8% and have stepped onto the mound in 16 save situations. They have compiled 7 saves for the season and have blown 2 out of their 9 save opportunities. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 16 runners so far this year and 18.8% of those players crossing the plate. The Royals have sent 48 relief pitchers to the mound this year.

The Houston Astros have accounted for 446 putouts over the course of the season, in addition to 144 assists and 6 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding steady at .990 which puts them in 7th in baseball, and they have turned 16 double plays. The Royals have converted 71.7% of balls in play into outs out of their 1,338 innings on the diamond, which has them sitting at 7th in professional baseball.

Bubic (21-37 win-loss record in his career) sits with a FIP of 4.02 while he has faced 2,098 hitters in the major leagues. He has given up 480 hits (8.8 hits per nine innings) and has had 197 free passes. His ERA is 4.08 (222 ER's allowed) and he has a career WHIP of 1.384. Bubic has thrown 489 frames and has accounted for 467 strikeouts so far in his pro baseball career.

Detroit has hit 12 home runs so far this season to go along with 68 runs batted in. They have put up 31 doubles, while walking 66 times and scoring 72 runs. The Detroit Tigers are sitting with an on-base percentage of .325 in addition to a team batting average of .236 on the season. The Tigers hold a slugging percentage of .364 and they are earning 4.24 runs per outing (16th in the league). They have struck out on 142 instances (17th in the league) and are sitting with 131 hits.

The Tigers have a team WHIP of 1.270 in addition to having a FIP of 3.73 as a team so far this year. They rank 3rd in MLB as a staff in total hits relinquished with 120. The Detroit pitching staff have conceded 61 runs this year while having a team ERA of 3.50 (56 earned runs surrendered). Their K/BB ratio sits at 8.00 (129 strikeouts vs 63 walks). They have surrendered 10 homers and they surrender 3.81 runs per 9 innings (7th in the league).

With 12 save situations, the Tigers have 7 holds and 1 blown save. Detroit has had bullpen pitchers enter the contest in 4 save opportunities and they have converted 3 saves. Detroit bullpen pitchers have an inherited score rate of 37.1% of 35 inherited runners. Their bullpen pitchers have stepped onto the mound 7 times in high leverage situations in addition to 20 occasions with base runners. They sit at 9th in the league holding a save rate of 75.0%, and they have dispatched 43 relief pitchers to the hill so far this season.

The Detroit Tigers have turned 15 double plays and have a fielding percentage of .980 (24th in pro baseball). The Tigers have racked up 144 assists, 12 errors and have earned 433 putouts this season. Out of their 1,299 innings on the diamond, the Tigers hold a defensive efficiency of 70.9% (11th in the majors).

Montero (12-10 career mark) holds a 4.43 ERA while allowing 9.0 hits per 9 innings. His strikeout to walk ratio is 2.48 and he has gone up against 839 batters so far in his pro baseball career. He has surrendered a total of 98 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.326 and having a FIP of 4.4. So far in his MLB career, Montero has surrendered 200 hits while he has tallied 159 strikeouts in 199 innings pitched.

Who will win tonight's MLB game against the spread or moneyline?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Kansas City (+125)

Get $60 worth of FREE premium member picks. No Obligation. No Salesman. No Credit Card. Fast Sign up with Instant Access Click Here

Get MLB picks on every single game, or if you want our very best bets by the experts, sign up for your free $60 account with a guarantee.