Minnesota Twins vs Kansas City Royals Prediction, 4/2/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Minnesota Twins vs Kansas City Royals

Date: Sunday, April 2, 2023

Location: Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO

TV: Bally Sports Kansas City

The Minnesota Twins (78-84 last year) are traveling to Kauffman Stadium on Sunday where they will try to defeat the Kansas City Royals (65-97 last season). The expected starting pitchers are Joe Ryan and Brad Keller.

Minnesota had a slugging % of .401 and were called out on strikes 1,353 times, while drawing a walk on 518 occasions. They earned 668 RBI's and 1,356 base knocks over the course of the prior season, and their team batting average was .248. The Twins accounted for 269 two-baggers as a squad and knocked 178 baseballs out of the park. They tallied 696 runs while holding a team OBP of .317. As a team, the Minnesota Twins scored 4.3 runs per outing, which had them sitting at 17th in MLB.

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The Twins finished with a team ERA of 3.98 for the previous season (19th in the league), and they rung up 1,336 batters. Their strikeout to walk ratio was at 2.85 and the pitching staff held a collective WHIP of 1.24. Twins pitchers conceded 184 home runs and 684 total runs (14th in MLB). They walked 468 opposing batters and their FIP was 4.03 as a unit for the previous season.

The Twins relievers had a save percentage of 50.9% and stepped onto the hill in 157 save situations. The relief pitchers inherited 182 base runners in the prior season with 29.1% of those runners crossed home plate. Twins bullpen pitchers entered the game with runners on 133 times and also had 167 outings in high leverage situations. The Twins dispatched 549 relief pitchers to the mound last season. The relievers finished with 100 holds in the previous season (7th in MLB). They accumulated 28 saves over the course of last season and did not convert 27 of 55 chances to get a save.

The Minnesota Twins finished with 4,311 putouts during the previous year, in addition to 1,306 assists and 83 errors. Their fielding percentage was at .985 which ranked 16th in the majors, and had a total of 121 double plays. The Twins converted 70.2% of balls hit into play into outs out of their 12,933 innings on the diamond, which ranked them 12th in baseball.

Ryan (15-9 career win-loss record) has a FIP of 3.90 while he has gone up against 704 batters during his time in the major leagues. He has given up 131 base knocks (6.8 hits per 9 innings) and has 52 free passes. His ERA is 3.63 (70 earned runs allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.054. Ryan has taken the ball for 173 innings and is sitting with 181 K's so far in his career.

The Royals held a team SLG% of .380 and they averaged 3.95 runs per contest (24th in MLB). They recorded 247 doubles, while walking 460 times as well as putting up 640 runs. Kansas City knocked in 138 home runs for the previous season and 613 runs batted in. They struck out on 1,287 instances (23rd in baseball) and tallied 1,327 hits. The Kansas City Royals recorded a team OBP of .306 in addition to a team batting average of .244 last season.

The Royals held a team WHIP of 1.470 in addition to having a FIP of 4.42 as a staff over the course of last season. Their strikeout to walk ratio was 2.02 (1,191 strikeouts against 589 free passes). They had a ranking of 29th in baseball as a staff in total hits allowed with 1,493. They surrendered 173 homers and they allowed 5.15 runs per 9 innings (26th in the league). The Kansas City pitching staff conceded 810 runs during the previous year while having an ERA of 4.70 (740 earned runs surrendered).

Kansas City relievers held an inherited score rate of 29.7% out of 293 inherited base runners. Their relievers took the field 167 times in high leverage situations in addition to 181 occasions with base runners. With 139 save situations, the Royals accrued 80 holds and also 21 blown saves. They were ranked 19th in the league holding a save percentage of 61.1%, and they sent 560 relievers onto the field last year. Kansas City called on relief pitchers to step onto the mound in 54 save opportunities and they walked away with 33 saves.

Kansas City Royals twisted 153 double plays and had a fielding percentage of .986 (10th in baseball). The Royals recorded 1,499 assists, 82 errors and a tally of 4,248 putouts over the course of last season. Out of their 12,744 innings played, the Royals accumulated a defensive efficiency of 67.5% (28th in baseball).

So far in his MLB career, Keller has allowed 637 hits while he has accumulated 475 strikeouts in 633 innings. Keller (35-49 win-loss record in his career) is the owner of a 4.25 earned run average while allowing 9.0 hits per 9 innings. He has conceded a total of 299 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.412 and having a FIP of 4.2. He has a K/BB ratio of 1.84 and he has gone up against 2,737 batters in his pro baseball career.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Kansas City

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