Cleveland Indians vs Kansas City Royals Prediction, 9/2/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Cleveland Indians vs Kansas City Royals

Date: Thursday, September 2, 2021

Location: Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO

TV: Bally Sports Kansas City

Odds/Point Spread: Cleveland (-125) Kansas City (+100)

Mike Minor and the Kansas City Royals (59-72, 4th in AL Central) play the Cleveland Indians (65-64, 2nd in AL Central) at Kauffman Stadium on Thursday. The moneyline on this contest has the Indians priced at -125 and the Royals are at +100. The O/U opens at 8.5. The starting pitchers will be Triston McKenzie and Mike Minor.

Cleveland has a slugging percentage of .412 and have been called out on strikes 1,093 times, while taking a walk on 372 occasions. They have amassed 552 runs batted in as well as 1,012 hits over the course of the season, while their batting average is at .238. The Indians have tallied 196 two-baggers as a squad and have smacked 169 baseballs out of the park. They have accumulated 576 runs scored and have an on-base percentage of .305. As a squad, the Cleveland Indians are putting up 4.5 runs per game, which is 16th in baseball.

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The Indians hold a team ERA of 4.37 on the year (18th in baseball), and their staff has rung up 1,151 batters. Their strikeout to walk ratio is 2.65 and the pitching staff has a team WHIP of 1.28. Indians pitchers have allowed 168 home runs and 586 runs in total (15th in MLB). Their pitching staff has walked 434 batters and their FIP is 4.35 as a team this season.

The Indians relievers have accumulated a save rate of 66.0% and has stepped onto the mound in 109 save situations. The relief pitchers have inherited 167 runners for the year with 35.9% of them crossed the plate. Indians pitchers have come into the game with runners on 116 times as well as having 141 appearances in high leverage situations. The Indians have sent 432 relief pitchers to the mound for the season. The relief pitchers are sitting with 56 holds on the season (23rd in MLB). They have tallied 33 saves on the year and have not converted 17 of 50 chances to get a save.

The Cleveland Indians have earned a total of 3,382 putouts thus far, in addition to 1,128 assists and 69 errors. Their fielding rate is holding at .985 which puts them in 15th in pro baseball, and have accumulated 907 double plays. The Indians have transformed 70.1% of balls hit into play into outs out of 10,146 innings, which ranks them 10th in professional baseball.

McKenzie (5-6 career mark) sits with a FIP of 4.49 while going up against 502 batters in the major leagues. He has given up 79 base hits (5.7 hits per 9 innings) with 56 free passes. His earned run average is 4.40 (61 earned runs allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.083. McKenzie has thrown 124 innings and has accounted for 149 K's in his career.

The Royals have a team slugging percentage of .390 and they are scoring 4.15 runs per game (24th in baseball). They have recorded 188 doubles, while walking 338 times as well as scoring 543 runs. Kansas City has hit 134 home runs on the campaign to go along with 514 RBIs. They have struck out on 1,040 instances (28th in the league) and are sitting with 1,069 base hits. The Kansas City Royals have accounted for a team on-base percentage of .303 in addition to a team batting average of .245 this season.

The Royals are sitting with a team WHIP of 1.405 and are the owners of a FIP of 4.42 as a staff on the year. Their K/BB ratio comes in at 2.27 (1,123 strikeouts vs 495 walks). They have a ranking of 19th in the league as a staff in total hits relinquished with 1,112. They have allowed 158 long balls and they surrender 5.02 runs per 9 innings (21st in the league). The Kansas City pitching staff have conceded 638 runs on the campaign while holding an ERA of 4.71 (599 earned runs relinquished).

Kansas City has had bullpen pitchers enter the contest in 49 save opportunities and they have come away with 30 saves. They are ranked 17th in MLB with a save rate of 61.2%, and they have sent 445 relievers onto the diamond this year. Their bullpen pitchers have stepped onto the mound 128 times in high leverage situations and also on 125 occasions with runners on base. Kansas City relievers have an inherited score rate of 29.4% out of 197 inherited runners. Sitting with 120 save situations, the Royals have accrued 69 holds in addition to 19 blown saves.

The Kansas City Royals have turned 123 double plays and have notched a fielding percentage of .985 (16th in professional baseball). The Royals have racked up 1,133 assists, 70 errors and have amassed 3,433 putouts this year. In 10,299 innings on the field, the Royals have accumulated a efficiency on defense of 68.2% (27th in professional baseball).

Minor (79-77 career record) is the owner of a 4.13 earned run average and has allowed 8.4 hits per 9 innings. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 3.16 and he has gone up against 5,404 opposing batters so far in his career. He has allowed 597 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.228 and a FIP of 4.0. In his MLB career, Minor has allowed 1,220 hits while tallying 1,190 punch outs in 1,300 innings pitched.

Who will win tonight's baseball game against the spread?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Cleveland (-125)

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