Royals’ Zack Greinke is looking to beat the Tigers for the first time since 2012

A common theme Detroit Tigers manager AJ Hinch has been the plate discipline of hitters this spring

As the Tigers to face the host Kansas City Royals in Wednesday’s rubber match of a three-game series, Hinch appears to be emphasizing results

Detroit’s miss rate has dropped significantly. After more than 10 whiffs per game through the end of April, the rate dropped to 7.7 in May.

“The players gave a focused effort,” Hinch said. “At first, we were a little hesitant as a team to control the strike zone and think we had to give it up on every first pitch. That doesn’t mean you can’t hit the first pitch up the middle for an extra base hit or I think the our group as a whole has thought about when to be on the go and when to be patient.”

Tigers First baseman Spencer Torkelson drew four walks Monday, the most by Tigers hitter as JD Martinez pitched four against the Baltimore Orioles on May 16, 2017

“After being the most aggressive hitter in the month of April when he’s swinging at the first pitch and still hitting the ball hard when he’s swinging, that’s a big improvement,” Hinch said.

A slight downside to the manager’s optimism about offensive selectivity is the fact that his batters have struck out 12 times in the first two games of the current series, an 8-5, 10-inning win at Detroit on Monday and a 4-1 rout of Kansas City. Tuesday’s victory.

They are royal Right-hander Zack Greinke (1-5, 4.82 ERA) looks to add more whiffs when he takes on Detroit on Wednesday. Left-hander Matthew Boyd (3-3, 6.21) will start the Tigers

In 32 career games (29 starts) against Detroit, Greinke is 13-8 with a 2.84 ERA. He was winless in two starts against him Tigers he hasn’t beaten them since last year and 2012

Miguel Cabrera has had some success against Greinke, posting a .302 average and one home run in 43 plate appearances.

Boyd is 7-11 with a 5.44 ERA in 27 games (26 starts). They are royal, the opponent he faced more than anyone else. He last started on June 14, 2021 against Kansas City and is yet to beat They are royal Since its last launch in 2020

Salvador Perez has the most experience against Boyd of the They are royal‘ hitters, batting .239 with two homers in 46 at-bats

Greinke will try to buy some time to help a tired relief corps that has pitched three games over the last 11 contests.

Kansas City sent its 10th different starting pitcher to the mound on Tuesday when Mike Mayers made his 200th career start, but only his seventh. Among American League teams, only the Tampa Bay Rays used more starters (11).

The club has just one win from a starter since Brad Keller beat the Chicago White Sox on May 10, helping Kansas City fall to 3-8.

They are royal relievers have 16 blown leadoff losses — tied for second most in the majors — including eight blown leadoff losses this month.

Kansas City’s struggling pitching staff could soon get help from left-hander Daniel Lynch, who threw 61 pitches in six shutout innings against Saint Paul in Triple-A Omaha on Tuesday. Lynch, who strained his left shoulder on March 23, made five rehab starts, four with Omaha, going 2-0 with a 3.98 ERA.

“Everything is going as we hoped,” Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said. “We’ve got to make sure he comes in (Wednesday) and feels good, and then we’ll try to come up with a plan.”

— Field Level Media