Guardians manager Terry Francona did not manage on Tuesday as he was not feeling well and went to a local hospital to undergo precautionary tests. No word if Francona will manage on Wednesday.
Logan Allen will be on the bump for the Guards as Allen has gotten three consecutive no-decisions and will be looking for his 4th win on the season. The Royals have yet to announce a starter.
No one has played more one-run games than Cleveland, as they have played 34 in total and are 16-18 on the season.
The Guardians have been performing admirably in recent times, securing victories in five out of their last seven games. Currently trailing Minnesota by .5 games in the AL Central standings, they aim to narrow the gap by defeating the Royals. A triumph in this upcoming game would mark their sixth win in the last eight matches.
Cleveland maintains an average of 3.92 runs per game, with their batting average of .247 ranking them 17th in the league. Their on-base percentage of .311 places them at 22nd, while their slugging percentage of .372 stands at 27th.
Jose Ramirez leads the Cleveland team in batting with a notable average of .293 and has hit 12 home runs. Josh Naylor holds the top spot for RBI, contributing 57 to the team’s performance.
On the pitching front, Cleveland has displayed commendable skill, allowing only 4.18 runs per game. Opposing teams hold a batting average of .244 against the Guardians, ranking them 17th in the league. Their earned run average (ERA) of 3.84 positions them at ninth, while their walks plus hits per inning pitched (WHIP) of 1.28 is 16th.
In his most recent start, Allen yielded only two hits and no runs across four innings, leading the team to a convincing 6-1 victory over Oakland. To secure another triumph, Cleveland will depend on a similar exceptional performance from him.
The Royals have lost two consecutive games, bringing their record to just 22-57. At the moment, they are 5th in the AL Central. Through 25 series, the Royals have gone 3-20-2. The Royals’ record at home currently sits at 10-29 and 12-28 on the road.
Kansas City’s record against the run line sits at 28-51 while being favored 13 times in 79 games. The team’s over/under record comes in at 35-42 with an average betting line of 9.
The Royals have struggled in five out of their last eight games and five out of their last six home games. Despite their recent slump, they have shown offensive prowess by scoring 15 runs in their last three home games. However, their offense will face a challenge in this particular game because Allen, who has been performing well in his recent starts, has only given up 12 runs in his last five starts. Furthermore, Allen has only allowed 10 runs in his last five road starts. Considering that Cleveland boasts the second-best bullpen in the league, the Royals will likely struggle to generate runs in this game.
On the other hand, the Guardians have been victorious in five out of their last seven games. They have been performing well offensively, scoring 15 runs in their previous four games. It is expected that they will continue their strong offensive performance in this game as well. This is mainly due to Kansas City’s pitching, which has been one of the weakest in the league. Additionally, the Royals have struggled to contain opposing teams, particularly at home, where they are giving up an average of over five runs per game. In fact, they have surrendered at least five runs in three of their last four encounters against the Guardians. Consequently, the Royals will find it challenging to slow down the Guardians’ offense in this game.
Considering the above factors, it is advisable to bet on Cleveland to cover the money line.
Our Pick: Take the Guardians and the Moneyline
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