Kansas City and Detroit took vastly different approaches heading leading up to Tuesday’s trade deadline.
Making a playoff push, the Royals added three relievers and a utility infielder. The Tigers were sellers, subtracting four veterans and acquiring seven minor leaguers.
The fortified Royals — who in a virtual tie for the second American League wild-card spot — and depleted Tigers will meet in Detroit for a four-game series beginning on Thursday night.
Kansas City added relievers Lucas Erceg and Hunter Harvey and starter Michael Lorenzen, along with infielder Paul DeJong. Erceg tossed a scoreless inning and DeJong singled and scored as the Royals completed a three-game road sweep of the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday.
“Right now, we’re trying to have a farm system that can supply our major league team with a lot of value, whether in a trade or on the field. We’re also trying to win at the major leagues right now,” Royals general manager J.J. Picollo said. “I like the way our team is positioned. I feel like we have the necessary pieces to continue to compete at a high level. We made some upgrades, particularly in the bullpen, that’s going to serve us well in ‘24 and moving forward.”
The Tigers dealt catcher Carson Kelly, outfielder Mark Canha, starter Jack Flaherty and reliever Andrew Chafin. They’ll have to rely on a mostly inexperienced roster the rest of the way.
“We feel like we added a haul of young talent at the deadline that is going to help us win a lot of games moving forward,” Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris said.
None of the players Harris acquired will be on the roster in the short term. Detroit has lost three straight games and six of its last eight.
The Tigers, who sit eight games out of the final AL wild-card spot with three more teams in the way, have been blanked in two of their last three games. Their top hitter, All-Star Riley Greene, is on the injured list due to a hamstring strain.
Detroit will have rookie Keider Montero on the mound in the series opener. Montero (1-4, 6.38 ERA) has been rocked in his last three starts, but due to injuries and the trade of Flaherty, the Tigers don’t have many starting options.
Montero has given up five earned runs in each of those outings, including a five-inning stint against Minnesota on Friday in which he surrendered three home runs.
“Execution is a problem,” manager A.J. Hinch said. “We’ve seen flashes that he can do it, and I’m looking forward to his next start, but I really think his struggles center around consistency in his delivery and execution. That’s the difference between his good outings and his not-so-good outings.”
Montero will be facing the Royals for the first time. He’ll be opposed by All-Star Seth Lugo.
The 34-year-old Lugo (12-5, 2.66 ERA) has posted the best season of his career, although he is looking to rebound from a rough outing on Saturday, when he gave up a season-high six runs in 6 1/3 innings in a 9-4 loss to the Chicago Cubs.
Lugo’s stat line was skewed by the Cubs’ seventh-inning comeback. He gave up three runs in the first three innings and was pulled in the seventh after the Cubs loaded the bases. Reliever Sam Long then gave up a go-ahead grand slam to Patrick Wisdom.
“(Lugo) gave us a really good chance to win. He is out there in the seventh after giving up three runs,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said.
Lugo has won both of his career starts against the Tigers, including seven shutout innings in April, while posting a 1.38 ERA.
–Field Level Media