Free Pick | MLB | Tuesday | April 14

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#962 Detroit Tigers (Valdez) -115 over Kansas City Royals (Ragans) 5:40 PM CT

While it might be tempting to consider a buy-low spot for Cole Ragans and his rough 0-3 start to the season, this lefty-lefty pairing favors the Tigers with Kansas City batting .199 with 3.0 runs per nine vs. southpaws so far this season. Kansas City is 0-4 in games vs. left-handed starters, and they will face one of MLB’s best left-handed pitchers Tuesday night in a pairing of 7-9 squads in the AL Central. Detroit is a shocking 0-4 in division games this season but while Kansas City is -11 in run differential, the Tigers are +10 as the matching records have not been created equally. Framber Valdez was a big acquisition for the Tigers after a great run in Houston. Valdez has a 4.76 ERA in three starts for Detroit, but his FIP is 2.84 and he should still be considered a top tier left-hander. Valdez was dominant in a pair of starts vs. the Royals last season, going 16 innings with only nine hits and three runs allowed. Ragans had an abbreviated 2025 season as he was shut down with a rotator cuff strain in June before returning for three September starts. So far, he hasn’t looked like the All-Star pitcher he was in a great 2024 season. Detroit has featured an elite bullpen this season with a 1.91 ERA on the season in the past 10 games while the Royals have featured terrible relief pitching as a key factor in the slow start to the season. Detroit’s offense has picked up the pace vs. lefties lately with a .364 team average in the past five games while Kansas City has hit .197 and the Royals may again continue to struggle with a tough left-hander on Tuesday.