Manager Ron Gardenhire knew the Detroit Tigers would take their lumps this season. What has been troubling to him lately is their sloppy play.Outfielders missing cutoff men. Pitchers failing to hold runners on properly. Infielders bobbling grounders. Batters swinging at pitchers out of the zone.The Tigers carry a three-game losing streak into a two-game series at Kansas City. Detroit left-hander Matthew Boyd will oppose right-hander Jacob Junis in the opener on Tuesday.Article continues below ...Gardenhire wants his team to play smarter and sharper.“We’ve got things to work on Kennys Vargas Jersey , a lot of things to work on,” he said. “We’re trying to work on it and we’re touching on it just about every time it happens. We make sure we talk to them about it. All those little things will eventually pay off down the road.”Francisco Liriano was originally scheduled to start Tuesday, but Gardenhire shuffled his rotation to accommodate ace Michael Fulmer.Liriano will make a start later in the week because Gardenhire wants Fulmer to pitch every fifth day. Fulmer, who will pitch Wednesday’s matinee, made his first start since the All-Star break on Friday after recovering from an oblique strain.“Our goal here is to keep Fulmer on his five days because he’s coming through this thing Bert Blyleven Jersey ,” Gardenhire said. “So we’re just kind of adjusting. Frankie’s one of those guys who can adjust. He’s done it before and he’s a veteran. He doesn’t have too many worries about those things, so we’re going to adjust with him.”Boyd (8-11, 4.09 ERA) held the Chicago White Sox scoreless for six innings in his last start. He also collected a victory in his last visit to Kansas City, giving up two runs in six innings and striking out seven on July 25.Improved control has led to an uptick in Boyd’s effectiveness. In his last nine starts, Boyd has issued just seven walks while striking out 51.In 12 career starts against Kansas City http://www.yankeesfanproshop.com/authentic-paul-o_neill-jersey , Boyd is 3-6 with a 6.40 ERA.Junis (6-12, 4.70) has gone winless in his last four starts, but he hasn’t allowed more than two earned runs in any of them.“It’s been encouraging to have some consistent starts in a row,” Junis told MLB.com. “I was slumping pretty hard, so to bounce back and have some strong ones since the All-Star break Jacoby Ellsbury Jersey , it’s encouraging to finish this season strong.”In his last start at Tampa Bay on Wednesday, Junis pitched 5 2/3 innings and gave up four runs, but only two were earned.“It’s not encouraging, (because) I’ve got a good feeling about Jake, so I don’t need to be encouraged http://www.yankeesfanproshop.com/authentic-don-mattingly-jersey ,” Royals manager Ned Yost told MLB.com. “This is what I expect out of Jake. I expect him to go out and make starts like this. I expect him to execute pitches and have a good slider and keep us in the game.”Junis has faced the Tigers more than any other team in his two-year career and consistently given them fits. He is 5-1 in six starts with a 3.44 ERA.The Royals have lost six of their last eight games. When the Los Angeles Dodgers were pursuing a trade for Bryce Harper last summer, one potential deal that wasn't completed involved Yasiel Puig.Per Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times, the Dodgers offered Puig to the Washington Nationals last summer before the Nationals decided to keep the 2015 NL MVP.It's unclear when the Dodgers made their offer for Harper. They were among the teams interested in the 26-year-old prior to the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline, according to Michael J. Duarte of NBC LA.In August, MLB Network Radio's Grant Paulsen reported the Dodgers claimed Harper off waivers and had 48 hours to work out a deal with Washington. No trade was consummated Aroldis Chapman Jersey , and the Nationals chose to ride out the rest of the year after falling out of the playoff race.Per USA Today's Bob Nightengale, the Nationals pulled Harper off waivers after the Dodgers claimed him and were not close to any trade because they will receive a first-round compensation pick if he signs elsewhere this offseason.Harper would have provided a boost to Los Angeles' lineup if he had been traded. The six-time All-Star hit .249/.393/.496 with 34 homers and a career-high 100 RBI in 159 games.Puig had a solid 2018 campaign with a .267/.327/.494 slash line. He was also instrumental in the Dodgers' victory over the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 7 of the NLCS. His three-run homer in the sixth inning extended Los Angeles' lead to 5-1 as the team secured its second straight appearance in the World Series.
