#Royals vs. Tigers prediction: Kansas City will snag road win

After rough 2019 seasons, the Detroit Tigers and Kansas City Royals are hoping a shortened slate and an expanded playoff can lead to big 2020 turnarounds, and both are sending their Opening Day starters to the mound on Wednesday.

Detroit’s Matthew Boyd was rudely welcomed to 2020, giving up four runs in five innings in a 7-1 loss at Cincinnati in an extension of the end of his 2019 season. He finished 2019 by giving up 2.6 home runs per nine innings with a 5.81 ERA in his last 18 starts.

Danny Duffy meanwhile gave up three earned runs or fewer in each of his last five starts of 2019 and began 2020 by giving up two runs in 4¹/₃ innings in a 2-0 loss at Cleveland.

The Royals got back All-Star catcher Salvador Perez, who missed the entire 2019 season. That should give this team a big boost to both the offense and the pitching staff. They also have Jorge Soler, who led the AL with 48 home runs in 2019, facing a starting pitcher who is prone to giving up home runs. So the call here is for a Royals road win.

The play: Royals, 125.