The 40-game mark is traditionally the moment when a team's true identity begins to emerge. But for the Detroit Tigers, injuries have made that picture blurrier than ever. As they prepare for Saturday's matchup against the Kansas City Royals, the Tigers are desperate to snap a four-game losing streak and find some consistency.
Friday night's series opener was a heartbreaker. The Motor City Kitties carried a lead into the late innings, only to see it slip away in a 4-3 walkoff loss. Keider Montero delivered a solid six-inning outing, allowing just one run, while the offense pounded out five doubles. But relievers Kyle Finnegan and Brant Hurter couldn't close the door, leaving the Tigers searching for answers.
With the injury list still growing, Detroit turns to right-hander Ty Madden on Saturday night. The 26-year-old will likely serve as the opener in what projects to be a bullpen game. In his only appearance this season, Madden tossed five scoreless innings of relief against the Boston Red Sox, allowing just four hits with zero walks and seven strikeouts. Perhaps most impressive: his groundball rate sat at a staggering 69.2%.
Opposing him will be Royals righty Michael Wacha, who has yet to face the Tigers in 2026. Last season, Wacha made four starts against Detroit, delivering two quality starts, one solid outing just short of the mark, and one rough performance. This year, the 34-year-old veteran has been steady: five of his seven starts have been quality starts, and in those outings, he's allowed no more than two runs while pitching at least six innings. His other two starts? A combined 8.71 ERA and 5.46 FIP over 10 1/3 innings—a reminder that even the best have off nights.
Saturday's game kicks off at 7:10 p.m. ET at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City. You can catch the action on Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, or the Tigers Radio Network. For Royals coverage, check out SB Nation's Royals Review.
Game 40: RHP Ty Madden (0-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. RHP Michael Wacha (3-2, 3.05 ERA)