The Kansas City Royals are set to face off against the Cleveland Indians at Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium. The first pitch is scheduled for 3:15 p.m. ET and SportsTime Ohio will showcase the action.
Cleveland Indians at Kansas City Royals Odds
The Indians have gone 90-71 SU this year and are 76-84 against the spread (ATS). They’ve lost 23.2 units for bettors taking the moneyline and 19.1 units ATS. The Royals, on the other hand, are 58-103 SU and 82-78 ATS. They’ve lost 24.4 units for bettors taking the moneyline and 5.6 units ATS.
Royals games have a 69-80-11 over/under record in 2018. The Indians have an over/under record of 76-74-10.
The right-handed Carlos Carrasco is the projected starter for the visiting Indians. Carrasco is 16-10 with a 3.42 ERA and 225 strikeouts. He’s 1-0 with four strikeouts and a 3.00 ERA against Kansas City this year.
The Royals will send lefty Eric Skoglund (1-5, 5.40 ERA) to the hill. Skoglund has 46 strikeouts and 17 walks to his credit, as well as a 1.23 WHIP. Skoglund has yet to face the Indians this year, but he made two starts against them in 2017, posting a 0-2 record with a 29.70 ERA.
As a unit, Kansas City’s pitching staff has allowed 5.2 runs per game overall in 2018. Its starting pitching staff has a 4.92 ERA, 1.41 WHIP and 7.3 strikeouts per nine innings. The bullpen has a 5.08 ERA, 1.55 WHIP and 7.3 K/9. In 75 games against AL Central foes, Royals starters have an ERA of 4.86 and the bullpen’s ERA is 5.08.
The Kansas City hitters are putting up 4.0 runs per outing, including 4.5 per game against divisional foes and 5.4 per game over their last five. The team has slashed .260/.313/.425 over its last five contests and is 4-1 SU during that span.
The Royals’ batters have been led by second baseman Whit Merrifield and right fielder Alex Gordon. Merrifield is slashing .304/.368/.439 with 12 home runs, 60 RBIs, 88 runs and 44 steals, while Gordon is batting .245 with 13 homers, 54 RBIs and 56 runs scored.
For the visiting squad, Cleveland’s pitchers have allowed 4.0 runs per game and its starters own a 3.40 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 9.65 K/9. The bullpen has an ERA of 4.64, along with a K-per-9 of 9.32.
The Indians offense has slashed .259/.335/.435 on its way to 5.1 runs scored per game in 2018, including 5.4 runs per game against divisional foes and 6.6 per game over the team’s last five contests (2-3 SU).
Shortstop Francisco Lindor and outfielder Michael Brantley continue to lead Cleveland’s offense. Lindor is slashing .277/.351/.516 with 37 home runs, 91 RBIs, 127 runs and 23 stolen bases. Brantley is hitting .309/.363/.469 with 17 homers, 76 RBIs and 89 runs scored.
Cleveland Indians at Kansas City Royals MLB Tip
Predictions: SU Winner – Royals, ATS Winner – Indians, O/U – OVER
Betting Notes
- Cleveland has logged 21 extra-base hits over its last five games. Kansas City has 17 XBH over its last five.
- The Indians have hit 12 home runs in their last 10 games. The Royals have hit 14 over their last 10.
- Cleveland has averaged 28.1 runs + hits + errors over its last 10 contests and 30.2 over its last five.
- The Royals have won five of their last six games SU.
