The Cleveland Indians are set to face their division rival Kansas City Royals at Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium. The game gets underway 8:15 p.m. ET and SportsTime Ohio is in line to televise the matchup.
Cleveland Indians at Kansas City Royals Odds
Cleveland (-230) is favored against Kansas City (+210) and Vegas has set the Over/Under for this one at 9 runs (-110 for the over and -110 for the under). Bettors can also wager on the games spread with the most recent runline odds standing at -155 for the Indians -1.5 runs and +135 for the Royals +1.5.
The Royals are just 25-60 straight up (SU) and 38-46 against the spread (ATS). The team has lost 23.7 units for moneyline bettors and 15.8 units (ATS). Kansas City has a 3-4 ATS mark over its last seven games and the under has hit in four of those seven. The Indians have gone 47-37 SU this year and are 40-43 ATS. Overall, the teams lost 7.9 units for moneyline bettors and 6.8 units ATS. Cleveland is 3-4 ATS over its last seven games and the total has gone under in four of those seven.
Royals games have an over/under record of 32-48-4 so far in 2018. The Indians have an over/under record of 43-38-2.
Trevor Bauer will get the start for the visiting Indians. The right-handed Bauer is 7-6 with a 2.45 ERA and 148 strikeouts. He’s 0-1 with 10 strikeouts and a 3.55 ERA against Kansas City this year (two starts).
The Royals are going with Trevor Oaks (0-1, 7.45 ERA), who has eight strikeouts and two walks to his name, as well as a WHIP of 2.17. Oaks hasn’t faced the Indians yet this year and did not pitch in the majors in 2017.
Kansas City’s pitching staff has given up 5.4 runs per game overall in 2018 as a unit. Its starting pitching staff has an ERA of 5.22, a WHIP of 1.43 and a strikeouts-per-nine of 7.3. The bullpen has a 5.17 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 6.8 K/9. In 28 games against divisional foes, Royals starters have an ERA of 5.51 and the bullpens ERA is 4.63.
The Kansas City hitters have put up 3.5 runs per contest, including 3.9 per game against divisional foes and 2.4 per game over their last five. The team has slashed .226/.262/.323 over its last five contests and is 0-5 SU during that stretch.
The Royals offense has been led by second baseman Whit Merrifield and third baseman Mike Moustakas. Merrifield is hitting .288/.360/.408 with five home runs, 26 RBIs, 34 runs and 16 steals, while the line for Moustakas stands at .258/.312/.472 with 16 homers, 53 RBIs and 38 runs scored.
In the visiting dugout, Cleveland’s pitching staff allowed 4.2 runs per game and its starters own a 3.43 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 9.08 K/9. The bullpen has managed an ERA of 5.04, along with a K/9 of 8.66.
Indians hitters have slashed .256/.328/.441 on their way to 5.0 runs scored per game in 2018, including 5.5 runs per game against divisional foes and 6.6 per game over the teams last five contests (3-2 SU).
Shortstop Francisco Lindor and third baseman Jose Ramirez have paced Cleveland’s offense. Lindor is hitting .300/.376/.580 with 23 home runs, 55 RBIs, 74 runs and 10 steals. Ramirez (.297/.399/.606) is up to 24 homers, 56 RBIs, 58 runs and 15 stolen bases.
The Royals have lost 27.5 units and are 20-35 ATS when facing a righty starter. The over has hit in 22 of those games, compared to 29 that’ve gone under.
Cleveland Indians at Kansas City Royals Prediction
Predictions: SU Winner – Indians, ATS Winner – Indians, O/U – OVER
Betting Trends
- The over has cashed in three of Kansas City’s last seven games.
- The Royals have dropped six of their last seven games SU.
- Kansas City has posted 16.0 Runs + Hits + Errors per game over its last 10 contests and 17.2 over its last five.
- The Indians have hit 14 home runs in their last 10 games. The Royals have hit seven over their last 10.
