Vegas Play of the Day: Detroit Tigers at Kansas City Royals

By Case Keefer (contact)

Thursday, July 20, 2017 | 11:43 a.m.

We’ve entered the fourth season of the annual South Point-lined Play of the Day competition, effective July 1.

Starting bankrolls have reset to $10,000, with the maximum bet being to win $1,000 and the minimum wager $300. Ray Brewer won back-to-back titles in the 2015-2016 and 2016-17 seasons, after Taylor Bern prevailed in 2014-2015.

Kansas City Royals Even vs. Detroit Tigers: $300 to win $300

A month or two ago, the Tigers were a lot better than the Royals. This isn’t a month or two ago.

The Royals have regained some of the magic that brought them back-to-back trips to the World Series in 2014 and 2015. They’re going to threaten to return the playoffs down the stretch this season.

That means they’ll need to win, or at least split, the series at home against divisional rivals. The Tigers won the first two games of the series before the Royals won last night’s game in the bottom of the ninth.

Game four looks pretty evenly matched, especially given the emergence of Detroit starter Michael Fulmer over the last two years. But he shouldn’t overshadow Kansas City starter Danny Duffy, who has a longer track record and was pitching well this season before going to the disabled list last month.

With at least an equal pitcher and maybe the better team at the moment, the Royals shouldn’t be paying out even money tonight. They’re more than likely salvage a 2-2 series against the Tigers.

Current Standings: Granger (3-2, $10,622), Keefer (2-1, $10,429), Grimala (1-1, $10,010), Brewer (2-2, $10,000)

Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.