Kansas City @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 8, 2013 ) Detroit 2, Kansas City 5

The last time the Kansas City Royals paid a visit to the Detroit Tigers, they dropped the final two of a five-game series that ignited a string of seven straight defeats and put them on the brink of postseason irrelevance. Kansas City regrouped to win 13 of its next 18 to climb back into playoff contention as it prepares for a three-game showdown at Detroit starting Friday. The Royals are among a tightly bunched cluster of five teams chasing the second wild card.

The Tigers reversed a swoon of their own by taking the final two contests of their series with the Chicago White Sox to pad their lead in the American League Central to six games over Cleveland and seven ahead of Kansas City. Third baseman Miguel Cabrera was making a bid for a second consecutive Triple Crown before dealing with a spate of injuries that has contributed to him going without an extra-base hit since Aug. 26. The Royals have won nine of 16 meetings this season.

TV: 7:08 p.m. ET, FSN (Kansas City), Fox Sports Detroit

PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals LH Bruce Chen (7-2, 2.79 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Justin Verlander (12-11, 3.64)

Chen turned in his third straight strong outing by limiting the Tigers to two runs over seven innings to improve to 4-2 since joining the starting rotation on July 12. He has permitted two runs or fewer in nine of his 11 starts, but he put forth a clunker at Detroit on Aug. 18 - yielding six runs in 5 1/3 innings to take the loss. Chen is 6-8 with a 5.23 ERA in 20 career appearances (18 starts) versus the Tigers.

Verlander's winless streak reached six starts last time out when he gave up four runs in seven innings in a 4-3 loss in Kansas City. He also lost to the Royals last month after giving up two runs over eight innings but still sports a 15-5 record and 2.80 ERA in 28 starts against Kansas City. The 2011 AL Cy Young Award winner is only 5-6 in 15 home starts and has not won at Comerica Park since July 31.

WALK-OFFS

1. Detroit leads the AL with 96 quality starts. Kansas City and Boston are tied for second with 86.

2. Royals DH Billy Butler is batting .431 (28-for-65) lifetime against Verlander.

3. Cabrera is 15-for-37 with five homers and 11 RBIs versus Chen.

PREDICTION: Tigers 4, Royals 2