Detroit @ Kansas City preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 19, 2014 ) Kansas City 1, Detroit 2

The Kansas City Royals come into the final series before the All-Star break short-handed, but with plenty of momentum after finishing off a 5-4 road trip with a comeback win. The host Royals try to make up ground on the American League Central-leading Detroit Tigers on Thursday, when the division rivals begin a four-game series. All-Star Alex Gordon (sprained left wrist) likely won't be available for the Royals, who trail the Tigers by 4 ½ games after rallying to beat Tampa Bay 5-4 on Wednesday.

Mike Moustakas (stomach virus) also missed the last game for Kansas City, which will be without consistent starting pitcher Jason Vargas (appendectomy) for the next three to four weeks. Detroit rested two-time AL MVP Miguel Cabrera on Wednesday and still completed a two-game sweep of the red-hot Los Angeles Dodgers. J.D. Martinez is 9-for-18 with three home runs against Kansas City this season as the Tigers have won six of the nine meetings.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, MLBN, FSN (Detroit, Kansas City)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers LH Drew Smyly (4-8, 3.89 ERA) vs. Royals RH Jeremy Guthrie (5-7, 4.02)

Smyly has lost his last two outings, giving up nine runs in 7 2/3 innings, after four straight starts in which he allowed two or fewer runs. The 2010 second-round pick has split a pair of games against the Royals this season, yielding a total of two runs over 14 frames. Billy Butler is 6-for-11 against Smyly, who is 3-1 with a 2.16 ERA in 12 career appearances (four starts) versus Kansas City.

Guthrie permitted two or fewer earned runs in seven of eight starts before surrendering six in four innings of a loss at Cleveland on Saturday. The Oregon native beat the Tigers on June 18, yielding one run over 6 2/3 frames, and is 8-5 with a 3.92 ERA in 19 career games (16 starts) against Detroit. Cabrera is 14-for-43 with three homers versus Guthrie, who has allowed 17 blasts in 2014.

WALK-OFFS

1. Veteran Detroit RF Torii Hunter is 13-for-30 with 11 RBIs over his last eight contests.

2. Kansas City 1B Eric Hosmer carries a nine-game hitting streak into the series and 2B Omar Infante has hit safely in eight straight.

3. Tigers DH-1B Victor Martinez has missed the last four games with a sore back and could sit out the Kansas City series as well.

PREDICTION: Royals 6, Tigers 5