The Detroit Tigers welcome the Kansas City Royals to Comerica Park on Saturday, July 25 for a 1:10 PM ET afternoon matchup that has legitimate AL Central implications. Casey Mize gets the ball for Detroit, squaring off against veteran right-hander Michael Wacha for Kansas City. These two AL Central rivals know each other well, and with the division race unfolding deep into the summer, nothing about this game should be treated as a throwaway. Detroit SportsNet and WXYT 97.1 FM have the call locally.

Pitching Matchup: Casey Mize vs. Michael Wacha

Mize is the headliner here. The former No. 1 overall pick has the stuff to control a game start to finish, and a strong outing against a lineup that features Salvador Perez and Vinnie Pasquantino would be a meaningful mid-summer statement. Watch how Mize handles the middle of Kansas City's order — if he's locating his splitter and working ahead in counts, this could be a dominant afternoon at Comerica.

Wacha is a savvy veteran who lives off deception and changing eye levels. He's the kind of pitcher who can quiet a lineup that isn't patient at the plate. Detroit's offense will need to work counts and resist chasing early. If Wacha gets ahead of Detroit's hitters consistently, this could be a frustrating afternoon for the home side.

Detroit Tigers Starting Lineup

• Colt Keith, 1B
• Kevin McGonigle, SS
• Gleyber Torres, 2B
• Kerry Carpenter, DH
• Riley Greene, LF
• Hao-Yu Lee, 3B
• Zach McKinstry, RF
• Matt Vierling, CF
• Jake Rogers, C

Kansas City Royals Starting Lineup

• Carter Jensen, C
• Lane Thomas, CF
• Jac Caglianone, RF
• Salvador Perez, DH
• Vinnie Pasquantino, 1B
• Nick Loftin, 3B
• Michael Massey, 2B
• Isaac Collins, LF
• Andrew Velazquez, SS

Keys to Watch

• Mize's command: When Mize is at his best, he's generating weak contact and keeping his pitch count manageable. Getting deep into this game matters — Detroit's bullpen needs the rest.
• The middle of the Detroit order: Torres and Carpenter hitting back-to-back gives the Tigers real run-producing potential in the heart of the lineup. Wacha will have to navigate both of them carefully.
• Perez vs. Mize: Salvador Perez is one of the most dangerous right-handed hitters in the American League and remains a legitimate run-producer for Kansas City. How Mize handles him will be one of the defining matchups of the afternoon.
• McGonigle's development: The young shortstop hitting second is worth tracking all summer. Every at-bat against a veteran arm like Wacha is a learning moment, and Detroit clearly believes in what he brings to the table.

Prediction

Give the edge to Detroit at home. Mize has the talent to shut down this Kansas City lineup, and the Tigers' lineup has enough pop from Torres through Greene to generate runs against a pitcher who relies heavily on craft over pure stuff. Wacha will keep it close, but Comerica Park gets loud in the late innings. Tigers win, 4-2.