Kansas City @ Detroit preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 22, 2018 ) Kansas City 4, Detroit 5

Victor Martinez effectively ended his major-league career with the unlikeliest of hits on Saturday, and his Detroit Tigers teammates made sure to send him out as a winner in his last game. The Tigers wrap up their home schedule and try to secure a series victory against the Kansas City Royals on Sunday as the American League Central rivals conclude their four-game set.

Martinez is known as one of baseball's slowest runners - as evidenced by three triples among his 2,153 career hits, including none in seven seasons with Detroit - but the 39-year-old was able to beat out a chopper to shortstop in the first inning Saturday and immediately was replaced by a pinch-runner. "I think that's the perfect way to get my last hit. I had to work for it, and I had to grind it out. That's what my career has been about," Martinez told reporters after the game. Niko Goodrum and Mikie Mahtook each finished with two RBIs while Nicholas Castellanos recorded three hits to help give Martinez a proper sendoff in a 5-4 victory. Whit Merrifield reached base in all four plate appearances Saturday and is batting .333 during his 13-game hitting streak for Kansas City, which has dropped six of seven contests.

TV: 1:10 p.m. ET, FS Kansas City, FS Detroit

PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Brad Keller (8-6, 3.17 ERA) vs. Tigers LH Daniel Norris (0-5, 5.71)

Keller worked at least six innings for the fourth straight start but did not factor in the decision on Monday at Pittsburgh, permitting four runs on 10 hits and a walk while striking out seven over six frames. It marked the first time in seven turns the 23-year-old rookie yielded more than two earned runs. JaCoby Jones has hit a solo homer in two at-bats against Keller, who will make his first career start versus the Tigers after going 0-1 with a 3.00 ERA in four relief appearances against them..

Norris cruised through his first five innings against Minnesota on Tuesday before running into trouble in the sixth and recording only one more out, getting charged with his fourth loss in five starts after permitting two runs on five hits and three walks. The 25-year-old Tennessean is winless since beating Kansas City in his last turn of 2017 and has allowed left-handed hitters to post a .303 average against him this season. Norris held up well against the Royals in his first start of the season on April 20, yielding one run in 4 2/3 frames.

WALK-OFFS

1. Martinez will not play Sunday or during Detroit's season-ending six-game road trip that begins Monday, but he intends to accompany the team.

2. Kansas City OF Alex Gordon has collected nine RBIs over his last seven contests after belting a solo homer on Saturday.

3. Castellanos has gone 13-for-23 with five multi-hit performances over his last six contests and is batting .405 with nine doubles, three homers and 12 RBIs in 19 games this month.

PREDICTION: Royals 5, Tigers 3