Detroit Tigers at Kansas City Royals: Final Score & Recap

The Detroit Tigers defeated the Kansas City Royals 6-4 at Kauffman Stadium on May 24, 2023, handing the home side a loss that the DiamondIQ model's estimate reflected decisively — Kansas City entered the game with just a 36 percent chance of winning and finished at zero. Detroit's offense was largely quiet through the first three innings before seizing control in a pair of pivotal frames. Zack Short delivered the knockout blow in the top of the sixth, connecting for a home run off Josh Taylor that swung win probability by 25.5 percentage points in Detroit's favor, the single largest play of the game. Riley Greene had earlier opened the scoring in the top of the fourth with a home run off Zack Greinke, a swing worth 11.6 percentage points. Jonathan Schoop added to Detroit's cushion in the top of the eighth with a double off Nick Wittgren that moved the needle another 14.4 points, effectively closing the door on any Kansas City comeback.

Short finished as the game's most impactful offensive player by a considerable margin, posting a WPA of plus-29.1 percent and a RE24 of plus-2.6 on the night. Riley Greene contributed a WPA of plus-16.4 percent, while Vinnie Pasquantino was the Royals' most productive bat, generating a WPA of plus-15.5 percent and a RE24 of plus-1.8. On the pitching side, Zack Greinke led all pitchers with a WPA of plus-17.5 percent despite surrendering Greene's fourth-inning home run, while Will Vest added plus-12.3 percent in relief. Kansas City mounted a minor threat in the bottom of the ninth, with Bobby Witt Jr. posting a sacrifice fly off Alex Lange, though Nick Pratto's strikeout to end the inning swung 11.6 percentage points back toward Detroit and sealed the result.