Cleveland Indians vs Kansas City Royals Prediction, 8/31/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Cleveland Indians vs Kansas City Royals

Date: Tuesday, August 31, 2021

Location: Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO

TV: Bally Sports Kansas City

Odds/Point Spread: Cleveland (+105) Kansas City (-132)

Kauffman Stadium is the venue where Mike Minor and the Kansas City Royals (59-71, 4th in AL Central) will play the Cleveland Indians (64-64, 2nd in AL Central) on Tuesday. The line on this matchup has the Indians coming in at +105 and the Royals are at -132. The O/U has been set at 7.5. The expected starting pitchers are Zach Plesac and Mike Minor.

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Cleveland has a slugging rate of .411 and have struck out 1,084 times, while being walked on 370 occasions. They have compiled 545 runs batted in and 1,001 hits on the season, while their team batting average is at .237. The Indians have accounted for 196 doubles as a team and have knocked 166 baseballs out of the stadium. They are sitting with 569 runs and hold an OBP of .305. As a squad, the Cleveland Indians are scoring 4.5 runs per outing, which is 16th in MLB.

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Indians pitchers have given up 168 home runs and 584 runs in total (15th in the league). They have walked 433 opposing batters and their FIP comes in at 4.37 as a unit for the year. Their K/BB ratio is 2.64 and their pitching staff has a collective WHIP of 1.29. The Indians have compiled a team earned run average of 4.39 so far this season (19th in MLB), and the staff has struck out 1,144 hitters.

The Indians have sent 430 relief pitchers to the hill on the season. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 167 base runners so far this year and 35.9% of those runners earned a run for their team. They have earned 33 saves on the season and have missed out on 17 out of their 50 save chances. The Indians bullpen have recorded a save percentage of 66.0% and has stepped onto the mound in 109 save situations. The relief pitchers have tallied 56 holds for the season (22nd in MLB). Indians relief pitchers have entered the contest with runners on base 116 times and also have had 141 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Cleveland Indians are sitting with 3,355 putouts at this point in the season, in addition to 1,117 assists and 69 errors. Their fielding percentage is at .985 which has them sitting 15th in baseball, and have accumulated 899 double plays. The Indians have turned 70.0% of balls hit into play into outs out of their 10,065 innings, which has them ranked 10th in the majors.

Plesac has thrown 278 innings and has accounted for 218 strikeouts during his pro baseball career. His ERA is 3.88 (120 earned runs allowed) and his WHIP is 1.125. He has allowed 243 base hits (7.9 hits per 9 innings) and has had 70 walks. Plesac (20-12 career mark) has a FIP of 4.67 while facing 1,131 opposing hitters during his time in the majors.

The Kansas City Royals hold an OBP of .303 and a batting average of .245 on the year. They have struck out on 1,033 occasions (28th in MLB) and have recorded 1,064 base hits. Kansas City has 134 home runs on the campaign as well as 512 runs batted in. The Royals have a SLG% of .391 and they score 4.16 runs per contest (24th in the league). They have tallied 186 two-baggers, while taking a walk 337 times and scoring 541 runs.

The Royals are sitting with a team WHIP of 1.404 and are the owners of a FIP of 4.41 as a squad this year. They currently have a K/BB ratio of 2.26 (1,114 strikeouts vs 493 free passes). They have a ranking of 19th in baseball as a pitching staff in total hits allowed with 1,101. They have allowed 155 HR's and they surrender 5.00 runs per 9 innings (21st in baseball). The Kansas City pitching staff have yielded 631 runs for the year and come in with a team ERA of 4.69 (592 earned runs relinquished).

Kansas City relievers have an inherited score rate of 28.7% of 195 inherited runners. Their bullpen pitchers have come in 127 times in high leverage situations and also on 124 occasions with runners on. With 120 save situations, the Royals have accumulated 69 holds and 19 blown saves. They rank 15th in MLB with a save rate of 61.2%, and they have sent 442 relievers to the mound for the year. Kansas City has had relievers step onto the mound in 49 save opportunities and they have walked away with 30 saves.

In their 10,218 innings on the field, the Royals have accumulated a efficiency on defense of 68.2% (27th in the majors). The Kansas City Royals have turned 123 double plays and own a fielding percentage of .985 (16th in MLB). The Royals have racked up 1,124 assists, 70 errors and have 3,406 putouts for the year.

In his career, Minor has surrendered 1,220 hits and he has 1,190 strikeouts in 1,300 frames. Minor (79-77 career record) holds a 4.13 ERA and has given up 8.4 hits per nine innings. He has allowed a total of 597 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.228 and having a FIP of 4.0. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 3.16 and he has faced 5,404 hitters so far in his pro baseball career.

Who will win tonight's MLB game ATS?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Cleveland (+105)

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