The Chicago Cubs (49-55) travel to face off against the Kansas City Royals (56-47) on Friday, July 26th. This game will be played at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City and televised on BSKC. Both the Cubs and Royals are looking to bounce back from losses in their previous games. First pitch is set for 7:10 CT.

Cubs vs. Royals Betting Prediction

• Money Line Prediction: Royals (-145)
• Over/Under Prediction: Over 9 Runs

• The Royals have won 6 of their last 8 home games.
• The Royals have scored an average of 6.5 runs per game in their last 8 home games.
• The Royals have won 4 out of their last 5 games against teams with a losing record.
• The Cubs have lost 6 of their last 10 games.
• The Cubs have a 22-30 away record, while the Royals have a 35-20 home record.

Cubs vs Royals

The Royals Took The Last Game Of This Series

Chicago is coming off a game in which they wasted several good performances. In their 3-2 loss to the Brewers, Justin Steele was solid on the mound, allowing just two runs on six hits and striking out four. Seiya Suzuki went 2/4 with a homer and scored both of the Cubs’ runs. However, the Cubs couldn’t close things out, and Héctor Neris took the loss out of the bullpen. The Cubs were also the -148 favorite at home going into the game.

Steele got the start for the Cubs, going 5 1/3 innings, and took the loss. He was pulled in the 6th inning after giving up the lead. The Cubs also wasted a big game from Seiya Suzuki, who homered in the 1st inning, going 2/4.

Chicago is 49-55 overall, 5th in the NL Central, and 11 games behind the Brewers. They have a 22-30 road record and are 13-35 vs. the run line as favorites. The Cubs’ over/under record is 43-57, and their games have averaged 8.2 runs per game.

For the season, the Cubs are 37-19 vs. the run line as underdogs, but 13-35 as favorites. The under has hit in 6 straight Cubs games, and their O/U record when the total is 9 runs is 4-6-2.

Kyle Hendricks Gets The Start For The Cubs

Kyle Hendricks gets the start for the Cubs today as he faces the Royals on the road. He has made 13 starts this season and has a record of 2-8 with a 6.69 ERA. Hendricks most recently pitched on July 20th, where he took the loss, going five innings and giving up three earned runs. In that outing, he gave up two homers. One of his two wins this season came in his last road start, where he didn’t give up a run in seven innings of work. Opponents are batting .288 off Hendricks this season, and he has a total of 15 homers allowed.

Cubs Offense Breakdown

For the season, the Cubs are averaging just 4.1 runs per game, which is 24th in the league. They have been a little better on the road, averaging 4.2 runs per game. Collectively, the Cubs are batting just .233, which is 18th in the league, and their team on-base percentage of .310 is also below average.

Christopher Morel has been struggling for the Cubs of late, hitting just .200 over his last seven games, and he is batting just .199 for the season. However, he does lead the team with 18 home runs. Ian Happ is also near the top of the league in homers, but he is hitting just .237 for the season and has gone 5/29 over his last eight games.

The Royals Took The Last Game Of This Series

To close out their series vs. the Diamondbacks, the Royals took an 8-6 loss. Kansas City was the slight favorite at -127 on the money line going into the game. Things started off well for the Royals, as they got on the board with a run in the 2nd inning but gave up the lead right away as the Diamondbacks scored in the top of the 3rd.

Michael Wacha got the start for the Royals and took the loss. He only lasted 4 2/3 innings, giving up three earned runs on six hits. The Royals’s offense was carried by Vinnie Pasquantino, who went 3/4 with two RBIs.

At home, the Royals have a 35-20 record, but on the road, they are 21-27. As the favorite, they are 30-17, and as the underdog, they are 26-30. Their average run margin is +1.2 when they win and -3.0 in losses.

This season, the Royals’ games have averaged 8.5 runs, and their over/under record is 42-58. In games with a total of 9 runs, they are 7-9, and 69.9% of their games have had lower totals than 9 runs.

Brady Singer Gets The Start For The Royals

Brady Singer will be looking to build off his last outing, where he didn’t give up a run. Against the White Sox on July 20th, he pitched seven innings, picking up the win in the outing. Looking at his overall numbers, Singer has made 20 starts and has a record of 6-6. His ERA for the season is 3.00, along with a WHIP of 1.22. This year, opponents are batting .235 off the right-hander. Singer has turned in eight quality starts this year and is averaging 8.59 strikeouts per nine innings.

Royals Offense Breakdown

As a team, the Royals are averaging 4.6 runs per game, which is 11th in the league. However, they have been even better at home, putting up 5.2 runs per game. Overall, they are batting .250, which is 8th in the league, and are the top team in terms of avoiding strikeouts. The Royals also have the league’s 11th ranked home run hitter in Bobby Witt Jr., who has gone deep 18 times this season while batting .344.

Witt Jr. has been on a tear of late, going 21/39 in his last 10 games with three homers and nine RBIs. Salvador Perez has also homered three times in his last 10 games while batting .270. Perez’s 67 RBIs are 9th in the league, and he is batting .278 for the season.

Cubs vs Royals Prediction

With the Royals at -145 on the money line, this is the best way to play this one, as we have them winning by a score of 6-5. If you’re looking for a parlay option, you could take the over, as the line is sitting at 9 runs, and we have this one going over.

Looking at the starting pitchers, Brady Singer is projected to finish with five strikeouts, compared to Kyle Hendricks, who we have finishing with four. Offensively, the Cubs are projected to have more hits than the Royals, with the Cubs finishing with nine and the Royals with nine.

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All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!

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* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.