In Game 0 of their doubleheader, the Philadelphia Phillies are set to face off against the Kansas City Royals at Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium. This interleague matchup will get underway at 7:15 p.m. ET and fans can tune in to Fox Sports Kansas City to catch the action.
Philadelphia Phillies at Kansas City Royals Odds
Sportsbooks have Kansas City (+130) as the underdog to Philadelphia (-140). You can play matchup’s total with current odds posted at -110 for over 9 runs and -110 for under 9. There’s a runline of Phillies -1.5 (+105) and Royals +1.5 (-125) for this matchup.
The Royals are 19-19 against the spread (ATS), but only 14-25 straight up (SU). They’ve lost 7.5 units for moneyline bettors and 4.5 units ATS. Kansas City has a 3-4 ATS mark over its last seven games and the total has gone under in three of those seven. The Phillies, on the other hand, are 21-16 SU and have gone 19-17 ATS. In total, the club has gained 2.5 units for moneyline gamblers in the season’s early going and 0.9 units ATS. Philadelphia’s covered the spread five times in its last seven games and the under has cashed in four of those seven.
Royals games have a 22-14-2 over/under record so far in 2019. Phillies games have gone under 19 times, gone over 17 times and pushed on zero occasions.
Zach Eflin is getting the nod for Philadelphia. The right-handed Eflin (4-3, 3.00 ERA) has recorded 31 strikeouts in 42 innings so far. He has yet to face the Royals this year and did not record a start against them in 2018, either.
The Royals will turn to righty Brad Keller (2-3, 3.99 ERA), who has 36 strikeouts and 28 walks as well as a 1.39 WHIP. Keller did not re a start against the Phillies in 2018.
Philadelphia’s pitchers have allowed 4.4 runs per game and its starters own a 3.96 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and 8.14 K/9. The bullpen has logged an ERA of 3.95, along with a K/9 of 9.23.
The Phillies offense has slashed .246/.334/.419 on its way to 5.1 runs scored per game in 2019, including 4.9 runs per game over the team’s last 10 games and 4.8 per game over the team’s last five outings (3-2 SU).
Second baseman Cesar Hernandez and first baseman Rhys Hoskins have led Philadelphia’s offense. Hernandez is slashing .296/.353/.444 with three home runs, 14 RBIs and 18 runs scored, while Hoskins (.286/.410/.617) is up to 11 homers, 32 RBIs and 25 runs scored.
In the home-team dugout, Kansas City’s pitchers have given up 4.9 runs per game overall in 2019. The club’s starting pitching staff has a 5.05 ERA, 1.42 WHIP and 7.4 strikeouts per nine innings. The bullpen has a 4.88 ERA, 1.44 WHIP and 8.8 K/9.
The Kansas City offense is putting up 4.7 runs per outing, including 5.3 per game over its last 10 games and 4.6 per game over its last five. The team has a slash-line of .231/.300/.445 over its last five games and is 2-3 SU during that stretch.
The Royals’ offense has been led by second baseman Whit Merrifield and shortstop Adalberto Mondesi. Merrifield is hitting .294/.352/.531 with six home runs, 19 RBIs, 30 runs and seven stolen bases, while Mondesi’s line sits at .277/.314/.516 with five homers, 33 RBIs, 24 runs and 12 stolen bases.
The Phillies have gained 6.3 units and are 16-12 ATS when facing a righty starter this season. The over has hit in 13 of those games, compared to 15 that’ve gone under against right-handed starting pitchers. On the other hand, the Royals have lost 5.6 units and are 13-15 ATS when facing a right-handed starting pitcher. The over’s hit in 17 of those games, as opposed to 10 that’ve gone under.
Phillies at Royals MLB Tip
Predictions: SU Winner – Phillies, ATS Winner – Phillies, O/U – OVER
Betting Trends
- The over has cashed in three of Philadelphia’s last seven games.
- Kansas City has posted 22.5 Runs + Hits + Errors per game over its last 10 contests and 20.6 over its last five.
- The Phillies have hit six home runs in their last 10 games. The Royals have hit 14 over their last 10.
- The Phillies have a team OPS of .753 this season and an OPS of .751 when facing right-handed pitchers. The Royals’ OPS stands at .756 overall and .784 against righties.
