The ice-cold Cincinnati Reds will try to avoid losing their fifth in a row as they play host to the Kansas City Royals at Great American Ball Park. The game gets underway 6:40 p.m. ET and Fox Sports Kansas City will broadcast this interleague matchup.
Kansas City Royals at Cincinnati Reds Odds
Cincinnati (-165) is favored over Kansas City (+155) and oddsmakers have set the Over/Under for this game at 9 runs (-105 for the over and -115 for the under). Runline odds stand at -140 for picking the Royals +1.5 runs and +120 for the Reds -1.5 runs.
The Royals are 55-102 SU and are 79-77 against the spread (ATS). They’ve lost 27.7 units for moneyline gamblers and 7.6 units ATS. Kansas City has covered the spread six times in its last seven games and the under has hit in four of those seven. The Reds, on the other hand, are 66-92 SU and 88-69 ATS. The team has lost 11.5 units for bettors taking the moneyline while gaining 4.9 units ATS. Cincinnati has covered the spread only twice over its last seven games and the total has gone under in all seven of them.
Cincinnati games have a 76-76-5 over/under record in 2018. Kansas City has been a decent under bet with a total record of 68-77-11.
Heath Fillmyer will get the start for Kansas City. Fillmyer is 3-2 with a 4.56 ERA and 48 strikeouts. He has yet to face the Reds this year and did not record a start against them in 2017, either.
The Reds are going with lefty Cody Reed (1-2, 3.66 ERA), who’s got 40 strikeouts and 13 walks, as well as a 1.32 WHIP. Reed did not record a start against the Royals in 2017.
Cincinnati’s pitching staff has given up 5.1 runs per game overall this year as a unit. Its starting pitching staff has a 5.05 ERA, 1.43 WHIP and 7.8 strikeouts per nine innings. The bullpen has a 4.14 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 7.9 K/9.
The Cincinnati hitters are putting up 4.3 runs per contest, including 1.3 per game over its last 10 games and 1.6 per game over their last five. The team has a slash-line of .183/.239/.268 over its last five contests and is 1-4 SU during that span.
Second baseman Scooter Gennett and shortstop Jose Peraza have led the Reds’ batters this year. Gennett is slashing .315/.363/.497 with 23 home runs, 92 RBIs and 86 runs scored, and Peraza is batting .291 with 13 homers, 56 RBIs, 84 runs and 23 stolen bases.
In the visiting dugout, Kansas City’s pitchers have allowed 5.2 runs per game and its starters own a 4.96 ERA, 1.42 WHIP and 7.26 K/9. The bullpen has logged an ERA of 5.03, along with a K/9 of 7.31.
Royals hitters have slashed .245/.307/.392 on their way to 3.9 runs scored per game this year, including 4.7 runs per game over the team’s last 10 games and 4.6 per game over the team’s last five contests (3-2 SU).
Kansas City’s hitters have been led by second baseman Whit Merrifield and outfielder Alex Gordon. The speedy Merrifield is slashing .304/.369/.442 with 12 home runs, 58 RBIs, 86 runs and 39 stolen bases, while Gordon (.244/.324/.367) is up to 12 homers, 51 RBIs and 54 runs scored.
The Royals have lost 4.3 units and are 26-22 ATS when facing a lefty starter this season. The over has hit in 17 of those games, compared to 28 that’ve gone under against -handed starting pitchers.
Kansas City Royals at Cincinnati Reds MLB Tip
Predictions: SU Winner – Reds, ATS Winner – Royals, O/U – OVER
Betting Trends
- The under has hit in seven of Cincinnati’s last seven games.
- The Royals have hit 12 home runs in their last 10 games, including nine over their last five.
- Kansas City has recorded 23.7 Runs + Hits + Errors per game over its last 10 outings and 22.2 over its last five.
- The Reds have lost five of their last six games SU.
