Cleveland Guardians vs Kansas City Royals Prediction, 9/20/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Cleveland Guardians vs Kansas City Royals

Date: Wednesday, September 20, 2023

Location: Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO

TV: Bally Sports Kansas City

Odds/Point Spread: Cleveland (-142) Kansas City (+120)

The Cleveland Guardians (72-79) are hitting the road to Kauffman Stadium on Wednesday where they will go up against the Kansas City Royals (49-102). The moneyline on this contest has the Guardians at -142 and the Royals are priced at +120. The over/under is set at 8.5. The pitchers who are expected to start are Lucas Giolito and Zack Greinke.

Cleveland has a slugging rate of .381 and have struck out 1,062 times, while being walked on 437 occasions. They have tallied 579 RBI's in addition to 1,288 base knocks for the season, and their batting average is sitting at .250. The Guardians have accumulated 273 two-baggers as a squad and have hit 116 balls out of the stadium. They have accounted for 618 runs and hold an OBP of .313. As a team, the Cleveland Guardians are notching 4.1 runs per game, which has them at 28th in the league.

Get all of our MLB Picks Today

The Guardians have a team earned run average of 3.90 for the year (5th in baseball), and their staff has struck out 1,221 batters. Guardians pitchers have relinquished 163 home runs and 635 runs (7th in baseball). Their pitching staff has walked 483 opposing hitters and their FIP comes in at 4.20 as a team for the season. Cleveland has surrendered 1,247 base knocks (8.3 per 9 innings) and also 584 earned runs. They have earned a K/BB ratio of 2.53 and the pitching staff holds a WHIP of 1.28.

The Guardians have dispatched 502 relievers to the hill this season. The relief pitchers have inherited 180 runners on the season and 22.8% of those runners crossed home plate. They have tallied 44 saves on the year and have blown 30 of their 74 chances to save the game. The Guardians bullpen have a save rate of 59.5% and has entered the game in 173 save situations. The relievers have earned 94 holds over the course of the season (5th in the league). Guardians relief pitchers have entered the game with players on base 129 times in addition to having 182 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Guardians have transformed 70.2% of balls in play into outs out of 12,141 innings on the field, which has them sitting 6th in professional baseball. The Cleveland Guardians have a total of 4,047 putouts on the campaign, in addition to 1,333 assists and 71 errors. Their fielding percentage is currently at .987 which ranks 8th in the majors, and have a total of 114 double plays.

Giolito has taken the mound for 1,000 frames and has tallied 1,062 K's during his MLB career. His earned run average is 4.37 (486 ER's allowed) and he has a career WHIP of 1.241. He has surrendered 868 hits (7.8 hits per 9 innings) and has 373 walks. Giolito (61-60 career mark) has a FIP of 4.39 while he has gone up against 4,189 hitters in the majors.

Kansas City is sitting with 150 long balls so far this season to go along with 599 runs batted in. They have 246 doubles, while getting a free base 380 times as well as scoring 622 runs. The Kansas City Royals hold a team on-base percentage of .301 and a batting average of .242 this season. The Royals hold a team slugging % of .396 and they score 4.12 runs per game (26th in baseball). They have been called out on strikes on 1,291 occasions (17th in the league) and have 1,227 hits.

The Royals hold a team WHIP of 1.408 in addition to having a FIP of 4.72 as a unit so far this year. They are currently ranked 26th in baseball as a pitching staff in total hits relinquished with 1,338. The Kansas City pitching staff have allowed 806 runs this year while having a team ERA of 5.22 (761 earned runs surrendered). They currently have a strikeout to walk ratio of 8.10 (1,181 strikeouts vs 511 walks). They have given up 195 homers and they give up 5.52 runs per 9 innings (28th in baseball).

Kansas City has called on relief pitchers to step onto the mound in 46 save chances and they have walked away with 23 saves. They are ranked 28th in baseball holding a save percentage of 50.0%, and they have sent 490 relief pitchers onto the field on the season. Their relievers have stepped onto the mound 123 times in high leverage situations in addition to 108 occasions with runners on. Kansas City bullpen pitchers hold an inherited score rate of 37.7% of 175 inherited base runners. With 103 save situations, the Royals have amassed 57 holds and 23 blown saves.

The Kansas City Royals have turned 119 double plays and own a fielding percentage of .986 (14th in MLB). The Royals have accrued 1,309 assists, 75 errors and have a tally of 3,939 putouts during this campaign. In their 11,817 innings on the diamond, the Royals are sitting with a efficiency on defense of 68.4% (22nd in baseball).

So far in his MLB career, Greinke has surrendered 3,197 base hits while accumulating 2,967 strikeouts in 3,375 frames. Greinke (224-156 career mark) has a 3.50 ERA and has allowed 8.5 hits per nine innings. He has given up 1,312 earned runs while holding a WHIP of 1.172 and being the owner of a FIP of 3.5. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 3.91 and he has gone up against 13,826 opposing hitters so far in his career.

Who will win tonight's MLB game against the spread or moneyline?

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Kansas City (+120)

Get $60 worth of FREE premium member picks. No Obligation. No Salesman. No Credit Card. Fast Sign up with Instant Access Click Here