KC Royals: Five Series To Watch In 2016
By Scott Dillon
Detroit Tigers: Middle of April
Here we are on the third series to watch, and we’re only 13 games into the season (I told you there was going to be a lot of good baseball this season).
The Royals open a home series against the Tigers on April 19th and it will be the first chance the Royals get at seeing a shiny, new Tigers team.
Not many teams have been more active in the off-season than the Detroit Tigers. They’ve added free agent pitchers Jordan Zimmerman, Mark Lowe, and Mike Pelfrey. They also traded for bullpen arms Justin Wilson and Francisco Rodriguez to try and turn around their atrocious bullpen from a year ago.
They’re lineup looks imposing with players like Ian Kinsler, Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez, and J.D. Martinez now complimented by Justin Upton
They brought in a big bat in Justin Upton, as well as smaller pieces like Cameron Maybin and Jarrod Saltalamacchia.
They’re lineup looks imposing with players like Ian Kinsler, Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez, and J.D. Martinez now complimented by Justin Upton. The lineup looked imposing at the beginning of last season also. Will they all stay healthy enough to contribute this year?
Last season, the Tigers were hit hard by injuries. Cabrera, Justin Verlander, and Anibal Sanchez all missed time, which really hurt the Tigers. Will Verlander return to form? Will Victor Martinez hit thirty home runs again?
There are some big questions surrounding this Tigers’ team. The biggest one may be, have they finally bought the team chemistry that has eluded all their talent? This series will give the Royals a good look at this ‘new’ team and perhaps answer some of these questions.
The Royals will have to best a big-spending team again this season. They gave them a run for their money two years ago, and left little doubt in 2015. Will they do it again in 2016?
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