The Cleveland Guardians will take the field against the Kansas City Royals (44-38) on Thursday. The game begins at 8:10 PM ET on Fox Sports 1, with the Guardians listed as -115 favorites on the moneyline.
Cleveland’s Ben Lively and Kansas City’s Michael Wacha have been named the starters for this contest.
Guardians vs. Royals Odds
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Guardians and Royals Betting Trends
The Guardians have been favored on the moneyline 50 total times this season. They’ve finished 35-15 in those games.
When it has played as moneyline favorites with odds of -115 or shorter, Cleveland has gone 30-13 (69.8%).
The Royals have been underdogs in 48 games this season and won 22 (45.8%) of those contests.
Kansas City is 19-24 this season when entering a game as the underdog by -103 or more on the moneyline.
The Guardians have combined with opponents to go over the total 37 times this season for a 37-35-6 record against the over/under.
The Royals and their opponents have gone over the total this season in 34 of their 82 opportunities.
Guardians Stats & Insights
The Guardians are the fifth-highest scoring team in baseball, averaging 5.1 runs per game (394 total).
Cleveland ranks eighth-best in MLB action with 92 total home runs.
The Guardians are 14th in the majors with a .245 batting average.
Cleveland strikes out 7.3 times per game to rank third in MLB.
The Guardians pitching staff ranks third in the majors with a collective nine strikeouts per nine innings.
Cleveland has the fifth-ranked team ERA across all MLB pitching staffs (3.51).
Royals Stats & Insights
The Royals have scored the 12th-most runs in the league this season with 372 (4.5 per game).
Kansas City’s 79 home runs rank 17th in Major League Baseball.
The Royals’ .243 batting average ranks 16th in the league this season.
Kansas City is one of the best teams in baseball at making contact this season, ranking fifth with an average of seven strikeouts per game.
The Royals strike out 8.1 batters per nine innings as a pitching staff, 23rd in MLB.
Kansas City has the 10th-best ERA (3.81) in the majors this season.
Guardians Key Players to Watch
Lively gets the start for the Guardians, his 13th of the season. He is 7-3 with a 3.03 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 65 1/3 innings pitched.
Jose Ramirez is batting .275 with 21 home runs and 72 RBI. All three of those stats are tops among Cleveland hitters this season.
Josh Naylor is batting .241 with an OBP of .322 and a slugging percentage of .504 this season.
Steven Kwan is slashing .377/.436/.552 this season for the Guardians.
Andres Gimenez has collected 69 hits this season and has an OBP of .302. He’s slugging .336 on the year.
Royals Key Players to Watch
The Royals will send Wacha (4-6) to the mound for his 14th start this season.
Bobby Witt Jr. paces the Royals with 12 home runs and 53 runs batted in, while racking up a team-high batting average of .311.
Vinnie Pasquantino is hitting .236 with 21 doubles, two triples, eight home runs and 31 walks.
Maikel Garcia is batting .232 with 14 doubles, three triples, five home runs and 26 walks.
Salvador Perez has hit 12 home runs to pace his team.
Guardians and Royals Injuries
Guardians: Will Brennan: 10 Day IL (Rib), Nick Sandlin: 15 Day IL (Back), Eli Morgan: 15 Day IL (Elbow), James Karinchak: 60 Day IL (Shoulder), Shane Bieber: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Trevor Stephan: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Gavin Williams: 60 Day IL (Elbow)
Royals: Dan Altavilla: 10 Day IL (Oblique), Adam Frazier: 10 Day IL (Thumb), Josh Taylor: 60 Day IL (Biceps), Kris Bubic: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Kyle Wright: 60 Day IL (Shoulder)
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