The Cleveland Indians will play host to their divisional rival Kansas City Royals at Progressive Field. The first pitch is scheduled for 1:10 p.m. ET and SportsTime Ohio will showcase the matchup.
Kansas City Royals vs. Cleveland Indians Odds
Both teams have matching moneyline odds (-110) and Vegas has the Over/Under for this afternoons game at 8 runs. Odds for betting on the games total sit at -110 for both the over and the under. Bettors can also wager on the games runline with the odds standing at Royals +1.5 runs (+195) and Indians -1.5 runs (-215).
The Royals have gone 2-4 SU this year and are 3-2 against the spread (ATS). They’ve lost 3.3 units for moneyline bettors this year and 0.1 units ATS. The Indians are 3-5 SU and 1-6 ATS. They’ve lost 2.5 units for moneyline bettors and 5.8 units ATS.
Indians games have a 3-4 over/under record thus far in 2018. The Royals have an over/under record of 1-4.
The Royals just took the previous game in the series by a score of one run to zero.
Jason Hammel (0-1, 9.00 ERA) will get the nod for the visiting Royals. The right-handed Hammel started 32 games last year while finishing the season 8-13 overall with a 5.29 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP. He made five starts against Cleveland in 2017 and put together a 3-2 record against the Indians with a 4.88 ERA and 23 strikeouts.
The Indians are turning to righty Mike Clevinger (1-0, 0.00 ERA), who recorded 137 strikeouts in 121 innings last year with 60 walks, while finishing the season 12-6 overall with a 3.11 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. He made three starts against Kansas City a year ago and put up a 2-0 record with a 2.16 ERA and 20 strikeouts.
As a unit, Cleveland’s pitching staff has yielded 3.9 runs per game overall in 2018. The clubs starters have a 4.13 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 7.9 strikeouts per nine innings. The bullpen has a 3.33 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 8.5 K/9. In two games against divisional opponents, Indians starters have an ERA of 1.93 and the bullpen’s ERA is 0.00.
The Cleveland hitters have produced 3.0 runs per outing, including 2.6 per game over their last five. The team has a slash-line of .147/.245/.241 over its last five games and is 2-3 SU during that span.
Edwin Encarnacion has helped lead the Indians offense this season with six hits, four RBIs and four runs scored.
In the other dugout, Kansas City’s pitchers have allowed 4.5 runs per game and its starting pitchers own a 3.74 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 8.02 K/9. The bullpen has an ERA of 6.38, along with a K/9 of 5.89.
The Royals offense has yet to get things going, slashing just .186/.254/.271 on its way to 2.5 runs scored per game in 2018.
Kansas City’s hitters have been paced by Lucas Duda, who is slashing .222/.263/.556 with four hits, seven RBIs and two runs scored.
Kansas City Royals at Cleveland Indians MLB Pick
Predictions: SU Winner – Indians, ATS Winner – Royals, O/U – OVER
Betting Trends
- The Indians went 12-7 SU against the Royals last season.
- The Indians bullpen recorded 1.57 ERA against the Royals last year.
