The Kansas City Royals open a three-game road series against the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday night at Busch Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 7:45 PM ET. This is the first meeting between the teams since mid-May, when Kansas City took two of three games at home.
The Royals are 31-29 and have dropped six of their last nine. St. Louis enters with a 33-26 record and has been strong at home, winning 19 of 27. Both teams are looking to bounce back after losing their last series over the weekend.
Royals Preview – Can Caglianone Spark the Offense?
Kansas City’s offense has struggled. The team has hit only 34 home runs and scored 194 runs, both near the bottom in the majors. To help, the Royals are calling up top prospect Jac Caglianone from Triple-A, where he hit .322 with 12 home runs across two levels.
Pitching has been the team’s strength. Their 3.13 ERA ranks fourth in the majors. Starters are averaging over five innings with a 3.00 ERA, while the bullpen holds a strong 2.93 ERA.
Michael Lorenzen starts the opener. He’s 3-6 with a 4.33 ERA and gave up six runs in his last start. Lorenzen is 4-3 with a 2.51 ERA in 36 career outings vs. St. Louis but has not faced them this season.
Cardinals Preview – Looking to Rebound at Home
The Cardinals have played well at Busch Stadium, going 19-8 at home. They’ve hit better than Kansas City and have scored over 4.6 runs per game. Their bullpen ERA is 2.99, nearly matching Kansas City’s relief numbers.
Andre Pallante will start the game. He is 4-3 with a 4.23 ERA and pitched well in a win over the Royals last month. He allowed just two runs in seven innings and did not walk a batter.
St. Louis has been strong against the spread, covering in 20 of their last 26. They’ve also hit their team total over in 18 of their last 27 home games, showing consistency in run production at home.
Betting Prediction
The Cardinals are -145 favorites with the total set at 8.5 runs. Kansas City is +120 and enters with a strong pitching staff but very limited offensive power. The Cardinals have the better offense and are at home, where they’ve played their best baseball.
Pallante already beat the Royals this year, and Lorenzen is coming off a rough outing. Trends support the Cardinals to win and cover, especially with Kansas City hitting the under in 44 of 60 games. Expect a 5-3 type win for St. Louis.
Pick: Cardinals -1.5 (+145)
Enjoy the Show Me State rivalry between the Cardinals and the Royals. This should be a fun game, but in the end, taking the Cardinals is the right bet to make. Enjoy the game and best of luck with all your Major League Baseball betting!
