The Cleveland Guardians (78-59) travel to face off against the Kansas City Royals (75-63) on Monday, September 2nd. This game will be played at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City and televised on BSKC. The Guardians are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Royals are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Astros. First pitch is set for 3:10 CT.
Guardians vs. Royals Betting Prediction
- Money Line Prediction: Royals (-114)
- Over/Under Prediction: Over 8.5 Runs
- The Royals have scored an average of 5.8 runs per game in their last 10 home games.
- In their last 15 games, the Royals have won 8 games, including a 3-game winning streak against the Guardians.
- The Royals have outscored the Guardians 24-15 in their last 4 head-to-head matchups.
- The Royals have a .600 winning percentage at home in their last 10 games.
- The Royals have scored 6 or more runs in 7 of their last 10 games.
Guardians vs Royals
The Guardians Are Coming Off A Win
The Guardians’s offense was hot right out of the gates in their most recent game vs. the Pirates, closing out their series with a 6-1 win. After allowing one run to the Pirates in the top of the first, the Guardians responded with two runs of their own. Cleveland went on to add another four runs in the 4th inning.
Starting for the Guardians was Alex Cobb, who picked up the win while tossing six innings of scoreless baseball. He also finished with six K’s and issued just two walks. Kyle Manzardo went 2/3 with two homers, going back-to-back in thejson 4th.
Cleveland is 78-59 overall and holds a 3.5-game lead over the Twins in the AL Central. They are 22-20 in divisional games this season and have a 43-25 record at home. The Guardians have been a solid bet as underdogs, going 30-22 against the run line.
For games with an over/under line of 8.5 runs, the Guardians have a 20-17 O/U record. Their games have averaged 8.6 runs per game this season, and their current streak is two straight unders.
Gavin Williams Gets The Start For The Guardians
Gavin Williams gets the start for the Guardians today as he faces the Royals on the road. This year, he has made 11 starts and has a record of 2-7. Williams’ ERA is 4.99, along with a WHIP of 1.41. In his 11 starts, he has turned in two quality starts and is averaging 9.97 strikeouts per nine innings. Williams has struggled at home, going 0-5 with an 8.04 ERA compared to 2-2 with a 3.46 ERA on the road. His most recent outing came at home, where he gave up two homers and took the loss, going five innings and giving up two earned runs. Before that, he had lost three straight starts.
Guardians Offense Breakdown
Josh Naylor has been swinging a hot bat for the Guardians, hitting .370 over his last seven games with seven RBIs. During this stretch, he has gone 10/27 at the plate. Naylor also comes into the game on a four-game hitting streak. Andrés Giménez has also been swinging the bat well, going 7/29 in his last seven games with two homers.
Jose Ramirez and Josh Naylor have been the Guardians’ top power threats this season, with Ramirez’s 34 homers leading the team and Naylor’s 28 long balls being the 2nd most on the team. Ramirez’s 105 RBIs are 2nd in the league, while Naylor is 3rd with 98 RBIs.
The Royals Took The Last Game Of This Series
The Royals will be looking to get back on track after closing out their series vs. the Astros with a 7-2 loss. Kansas City was the +134 underdog on the road going into this matchup. Things started off well for the Royals, as they got on the board with a run in the 1st inning but gave up the lead right away as the Astros scored three times in the bottom of the first.
Alec Marsh got the start for the Royals and took the loss. He only lasted five innings, giving up three earned runs on four hits. Bobby Witt Jr. had a good day at the plate, going 1/4 with a homer, but the Royals could only score two runs. The Astros’s bullpen closed things out with three scoreless innings.
Today, the Royals will try to end their five-game losing streak as they face the Guardians, who are 3.5 games ahead of them in the AL Central. Kansas City has a 41-28 home record, and as favorites, they are 27-16 at home and 43-25 overall. Their run line record at home is 39-30, with an average margin of +0.7 runs per game.
This season, the Royals’ games have averaged 8.9 runs, and their overall over/under record is 64-70. When the O/U line has been 8.5, their record is 15-23. So far, 35.5% of their games have had O/U lines of 8.5 or higher.
Michael Wacha Gets The Start For The Royals
Michael Wacha gets the start for the Royals today and comes into the game with a record of 11-6 and an ERA of 3.50. So far this season, he has made 24 starts, and opponents are batting .246 off the right-hander. Wacha has pitched well at home, going 6-1 with a 3.80 ERA. In his last outing, he finished with a no-decision, giving up five earned runs in six innings of work. Before that, he had won three straight starts. So far, he has made 13 quality starts this year.
Royals Offense Breakdown
Heading into today’s game, the Royals are averaging 4.8 runs per game, which is 7th in the league. They have been even better at home, putting up 5.2 runs per contest. Overall, they are the 6th best hitting team in the league, with a team batting average of .255. Kansas City is also one of the league’s best home run hitting teams, coming in 11th in the league.
Salvador Perez and Vinnie Pasquantino have been two of the Royals’ top power threats this season, as they are both near the top of the league in RBIs and have strong home run numbers. Bobby Witt Jr. has been great at the plate this season, batting .340 with 30 homers. However, he has gone just 5/25 in his last six games.
Guardians vs Royals Prediction
Our pick for this Guardians vs. Royals matchup is to take the Royals on the money line, with the payout being -114. We have the Royals winning this one by a final score of 7-6.
Looking at the starting pitchers, we have Michael Wacha of the Royals finishing with five strikeouts, which would have him finishing as the fourth lowest in terms of Ks among starters. As for the Guardians starter, Gavin Williams, we have him finishing with seven strikeouts, which would have him finishing as the fifth highest among starters.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
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Last updated:September 2, 2024 Guardians, Royals