The Cleveland Guardians (51-28) travel to face off against the Kansas City Royals (45-38) on Friday, June 28th. This game will be played at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City and televised on BSGL. The Royals are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Guardians are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Royals. First pitch is set for 7:10 CT.
Guardians vs Royals
It was a low-scoring game in the most recent game of this Royals vs. Guardians series. Kansas City went into the matchup as slight underdogs but picked up a 2-1 win. Both teams scored one run in the first inning, and the Guardians could only muster one more run in the 5th inning. As for the Royals, they scored the game’s go-ahead run in the 6th, and both offenses went silent after that.
Michael Wacha only went 5 1/3 innings for the Royals but gave up just one run and one hit. He finished the game with six strikeouts but issued two walks. As for the Guardians, Ben Lively got the start and took the loss, giving up two earned runs in six innings of work.
Salvador Perez was the difference for the Royals’ offense, as he homered twice, scored two runs, and finished with two RBIs. Jose Ramirez did the most damage for the Guardians, going 2/4 with an RBI.
Cleveland is 51-28 overall, good for a seven-game lead over the Twins in the AL Central. The Guardians will be on the road today, and they are 25-19 on the road this year. However, they have dropped two straight on the road. At home, the Guardians are 26-9 this season.
So far, the Guardians have been good as the favorite, going 35-16, and they are 16-12 as the underdog. Cleveland has an overall series record of 18-6-2 this year and have won three straight series. The Guardians have dropped two straight games, and their overall record is 7-3 in their last 10 games.
When the Guardians are on the road, they have a run line record of 25-19, which is a winning percentage of 56.8%. Their average run margin in those games is +1.2 runs per game. They have been the underdog in 28 games and have a run line record of 20-8 in those games.
The Cleveland Guardians have an over/under record of 37-36 this season, with an average combined run total of 8.7 runs per game. Their games have typically had lower over/under lines, with an average line of 8 runs per game. Today’s line is set at 10 runs, the highest of the season for the Guardians. Their games have gone under the total in two straight contests.
Triston McKenzie Gets The Start For The Guardians
Triston McKenzie gets the start for the Guardians today as he faces the Royals on the road. So far this season, he has made 15 starts and has a record of 3-4 with an ERA of 4.66. Looking at his overall numbers, McKenzie has a WHIP of 1.50 and has issued 5.65 walks per nine innings compared to 8.71 strikeouts. McKenzie’s last outing came on June 23rd, where he finished with a no-decision after giving up three earned runs in three innings of work. He has allowed at least two homers in three of his last four outings.
Guardians Offense Breakdown
Jose Ramirez has been one of the league’s top run producers this season, as his 72 RBIs is 2nd in the MLB, and he is also 4th in the league with 21 homers. Ramirez has also been swinging a hot bat of late, going 8/22 in his last five games with two homers. Overall, he is batting .278 for the season. Josh Naylor is also a big power threat in the lineup, as his 20 homers is 2nd on the team and 5th in the league.
As a team, the Guardians are one of the league’s top offenses, averaging 5 runs per game, which is 3rd in the league. They have been even better at home, averaging 5.2 runs per game. Overall, they are 7th in home runs and have the 11th best team batting average in the league.
Kansas City is 45-38 overall and trails the Guardians by eight games for the AL Central lead. The Royals are 14-9 against other teams in the division. The team has won two straight games, and they are 4-6 across their last 10 games.
At home, the Royals are 28-15 this season and 17-23 on the road. As the underdog, the Royals are 23-26, and they are 22-12 when favored. Kansas City’s overall series record is 12-13-1, and they have a chance to win their series with a victory today.
The Royals have been a solid run line bet this season, going 47-36 overall. They have been especially good at home, going 26-17 against the run line at Kauffman Stadium. Their average run margin in winning games is 3.7, while they have been outscored by an average of 3.1 runs in their losses.
When the Kansas City Royals play at home, the over/under line is typically set at 8 runs, but today’s line is 10 runs. The Royals have played 80 games this season, and only two of them have had over/under lines set at 10 runs. Their games have averaged 8.4 runs per game, and their over/under record is 34-46. The under has hit in six straight games for the Royals.
Alec Marsh Gets The Start For The Royals
Right-hander Alec Marsh gets the start for the Royals today as he faces the Guardians at home. Marsh has made 14 starts this year and has a record of 5-5 with an ERA of 4.40. In his 14 appearances, he has turned in three quality starts and is coming off a rough outing against the Rangers, where he took the loss. In that start, Marsh gave up three earned runs in 5 2/3 innings of work. Before that outing, he had given up at least four earned runs in three straight starts. Marsh’s ERA on the road is 6.31 compared to 3.78 at home.
Royals Offense Breakdown
So far this season, the Royals are averaging 4.5 runs per game, which is 13th in the league. They have been a better offensive team at home, averaging 5.2 runs per contest. As a team, they are batting .243, which is 13th in the MLB, and are also near the top of the league in terms of fewest strikeouts per game. Kansas City’s team on-base percentage is just 17th in the league, and they have a collective OPS of .702.
Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez have been two of the Royals’ top power hitters this season, with both players having 12 homers so far. Witt Jr. is also batting .310, and Perez is hitting .283. Witt Jr. and Perez are also on four-game hitting streaks coming into the game. Vinnie Pasquantino has been a solid run producer so far, with 50 RBIs, but he is batting just .233.
Guardians vs Royals Prediction
Our prediction for today’s Guardians vs. Royals matchup is to take the Royals on the money line, where they are currently listed at +104. We have the final score at 6-5 in favor of the Royals, and with the payout, we see this as the best way to play this one.
Looking at the starting pitchers, Alec Marsh of the Royals is projected to finish with six strikeouts, and he ranks fourth in terms of starters in line to pick up a win. As for Triston McKenzie, he is projected to finish with six strikeouts and ranks 13th in terms of starters in line to pick up a win.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* 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.
Last updated:June 28, 2024 Guardians, Royals