Detroit @ Kansas City Preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 3, 2016 ) Detroit 2, Kansas City 5

Kansas City closer Wade Davis could be unavailable Sunday as the Royals face the visiting Detroit Tigers in the rubber match of a three-game series, but the veteran has already made his impact felt this weekend. The 30-year-old returned Friday after spending more than a month on the disabled list and immediately suffered a blown save in the series opener before recording the final two outs in Saturday’s 5-2 victory.

First baseman Eric Hosmer has 10 RBIs in his last eight games and belted his career-high 20th home run in Saturday’s win as the Royals snapped a three-game losing streak and pulled within three games of the Tigers in the American League wild-card chase. Detroit saw its four-game win streak come to an end Saturday, falling 5 1/2 games behind first-place Cleveland in the AL Central and one game back of Baltimore for the second wild card. Tigers center fielder Cameron Maybin missed his fourth straight start Saturday with an injured thumb but hopes to return for the series finale, while Royals center fielder Lorenzo Cain is hoping to play through wrist inflammation that has kept him out of the starting lineup for the last three games. “You just want to get it to where it’s playable,” Kansas City manager Ned Yost told reporters. “It’s going to take a month after the season until it’s gone.”

TV: 2:15 p.m. ET, FSN Detroit, FSN Kansas City

PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers LH Daniel Norris (2-2, 3.86 ERA) vs. Royals RH Edinson Volquez (10-10, 5.01)

Norris allowed three runs over five innings while throwing a season-high 105 pitches last Tuesday against the Chicago White Sox. The 23-year-old has a troubling 33-to-14 strikeout-to-walk ratio in nine games (eight starts), which has limited his ability to pitch deep into games. Norris faced the Royals at home on Aug. 15 and took the loss after yielding two runs (one earned) on six hits and four walks over 5 1/3 innings.

Volquez’s ERA climbed again last Tuesday after he allowed four runs on nine hits in 3 1/3 innings against the New York Yankees. The 33-year-old has endured a roller-coaster season, but he’s gone 5-2 with a 4.21 ERA in 12 starts against AL Central opponents. Justin Upton is 10-for-23 with a home run against Volquez, who owns a 3-4 mark and 5.47 ERA in nine career starts against Detroit, including 2-0 with a 3.38 ERA in two outings this season.

WALK-OFFS

1. Royals LF Alex Gordon left Saturday’s game as a precaution with a sore right ankle.

2. The Tigers recalled LHP Joe Mantiply from Double-A Erie and designated RHP Donn Roach for assignment.

3. Kansas City 3B Erick Aybar is listed day-to-day after being scratched from Saturday’s game with left abdominal soreness.

PREDICTION: Tigers 7, Royals 6