The Kansas City Royals (74-58) travel to face off against the Cleveland Guardians (75-57) on Tuesday, August 27th. This game will be played at Progressive Field in Cleveland 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 5:40 CT.
Royals vs. Guardians Betting Prediction
- Money Line Prediction: Guardians (-146)
- Over/Under Prediction: Over 9 Runs
- Guardians have a 5-2 record in their last 7 home games.
- Guardians have outscored their opponents 46-36 in their last 15 games.
- Guardians have won 4 out of their last 5 games against the Royals.
- Guardians have scored 6 or more runs in 5 of their last 7 home games.
- Guardians have a higher league rank (3rd) compared to the Royals (4th).
Royals vs Guardians
Thanks to a four-run 6th inning for the Royals’ offense, they cruised to a 9-4 win over the Guardians in the most recent game of this series. Heading into the game, the Royals were at +117 on the money line.
The starting pitching matchup for this game featured Alec Marsh for the Royals, and he went just 4 2/3 innings while giving up two runs and striking out two. Sam Long came out of the bullpen for the win. Logan Allen got the start for the Guardians, going five innings and giving up five runs.
Kansas City got a huge performance from Salvador Perez, as he went 2/4 with two homers and six RBIs. Both Paul DeJong and Maikel Garcia each had two hits and drove in two for the Royals’ offense.
With a 74-58 record, the Royals are just one game behind the Guardians in the AL Central. They have been good as favorites, going 43-25, but as underdogs, they are 31-33. On the run line, they have a 39-25 record as underdogs and their average run margin is +0.8 runs per game.
So far this season, the Royals have played 84 games with over/under lines set at 9 runs, resulting in a 14-12-1 O/U record. Their season average for runs per game is also 9.0, making today’s O/U line of 9 runs right in line with their typical scoring output.
Michael Lorenzen Gets The Start For The Royals
Michael Lorenzen has been pitching well lately, as he has picked up the win in each of his last two outings. Most recently, he faced the Angels on August 21st and didn’t give up a run in 7 innings of work. Looking at his overall numbers, Lorenzen has made 22 starts, has a record of 7-6, and his ERA is 3.48. Opponents are batting .218 off the right-hander this season. Lorenzen has made nine quality starts and is averaging 6.59 strikeouts per nine innings. For the year, he has allowed 17 homers and is averaging 4.13 walks per nine innings.
Royals Offense Breakdown
Salvador Perez has been swinging a hot bat of late, going 12/36 (.333) with three homers over his last 10 games. Overall, he is batting .282 for the season and is 5th in the league with 94 RBIs. Perez is also on a three-game hitting streak. Bobby Witt Jr. has been even better for the Royals, hitting .347 with 27 homers, which is 9th in the league. His 94 RBIs is 2nd on the team and 5th in the MLB.
As a team, the Royals are 8th in the league in scoring at 4.9 runs per game. They have been even better at home, averaging 5.2 runs per contest. Overall, they are batting .258 (5th) and have the 2nd fewest strikeouts in the league. Kansas City’s offense is also near the top of the league in slugging and on-base percentage.
Today, the Guardians are looking to avoid a sweep by the Royals, as they are down 0-2 in the series. Cleveland holds a one-game lead over Kansas City in the AL Central, with an overall record of 75-57. The Guardians have gone 3-7 in their last ten games, including the two losses in this series.
This season, Cleveland’s games have averaged 8.6 runs, and their over/under record is 63-60. When the total has been set at 9 runs, their O/U record is 8-10-2. The Guardians’ run line record is 30-33 at home, with an average run margin of 0.8 runs per game, and their overall run line record is 65-67.
Gavin Williams Gets The Start For The Guardians
Cleveland is sending Gavin Williams to the mound today vs. the Royals, and he will be looking to bounce back from a rough outing vs. the Yankees. In that start, he took the loss, going 4 1/3 innings and giving up three earned runs. Looking at his overall numbers, Williams is 2-6 with a 5.13 ERA. Out of his 10 starts, he has turned in just two quality starts and is averaging 9.89 strikeouts per nine innings. Williams’ ERA at home is 9.15 compared to 3.46 on the road.
Guardians Offense Breakdown
So far this season, the Guardians are averaging 4.5 runs per game, which is 13th in the league. At home, they have been even better, averaging 4.9 runs per contest. As a team, they are batting just .237, which is 17th in the league, and their team on-base percentage of .308 is 15th. One thing to keep in mind is that they have the worst BABIP in the league, so they could be due for some better luck in the near future.
Jose Ramirez has been a force in the lineup this season, as he is batting .277 with a team-high 33 home runs and 104 RBIs. He is also currently on a four-game hitting streak. Josh Naylor is 2nd on the team with 28 homers but is batting just .234 for the season.
Royals vs Guardians Prediction
With the Guardians picking up a win at home, we would recommend taking them on the money line at -146. Our predicted final score is 6-5 in favor of the Guardians, giving you some value on the over, as the line is currently sitting at 9 runs.
Looking at the starting pitcher’s strikeout projections, Gavin Williams is projected to finish with six K’s, which is good for seventh among today’s starters. As for Michael Lorenzen, he is predicted to finish with just four strikeouts, which is the second-lowest among today’s starters.
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:August 27, 2024 Guardians, Royals