The Detroit Tigers returned home from a six-game road trip on Thursday with a win over the visiting Kansas City Royals, 6-1, to open up a 10-game homestand.
Coming off just the second series loss of the season and two straight defeats, the Motor City Kitties needed to get back on the winning track, and did so with solid pitching and a small-ball approach that killed KC with a thousand papercuts. It is always good to see the Tiger bats grind it out — especially against an old friend like Michael Lorenzen.
Detroit can clinch a series split on Friday evening with a win, but it will not be an easy task. The Tigers will face Royals ace Cole Ragans, who has been en fuego over his past three appearances, against Jackson Jobe, who is coming off a strong start himself.
Here is a look at the pitching matchups for Friday night’s fight.
Detroit Tigers (11-8) vs. Kansas City Royals (8-12)
Time (ET): 6:40 p.m.
Place: Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan
SB Nation Site: Royals Review
Media: Bally Sports Detroit, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network
Game 20 Pitching Matchup
| Player | IP | K% | BB% | FIP | fWAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | IP | K% | BB% | FIP | fWAR |
| Jobe | 15.0 | 15.0 | 13.3 | 5.13 | 0.0 |
| Ragans | 23.2 | 36.6 | 4.3 | 1.31 | 0.2 |
Game 20: RHP Jackson Jobe (1-0, 3.00 ERA) vs. LHP Cole Ragans (1-0, 2.28 ERA)
JOBE
Baseball Savant
RAGANS
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Baseball Savant
Jackson Jobe looks to build on QS
Last time out, Detroit’s 22-year-old rookie tossed six scoreless frames against the Minnesota Twins on the road, allowing a pair of hits and a walk while striking out two. It was his first run-free effort of the season and represents his longest outing yet.
If Jobe can replicate his previous performance on Friday, the Tigers are looking good.
Cole Ragans starts 2025 on fire
Ragans’ first four starts of the current campaign are mostly reminiscent of Tarik Skubal’s opening salvo of the 2024 season. While the 27-year-old has allowed at least one run in all of his outings thus far, he is averaging a tad under six frames per appearance and is absolutely mowing down opposing batters.
The southpaw’s 2025 debut was not much to clamor about, getting tagged for three earned runs on five hits and two walks while striking out three over five frames. However, he allowed just a single earned run in each of the next three and struck out 10, 11 and 10 respectively; Ragans has allowed just one home run in 23 2⁄3 innings so far.
