Seattle Mariners vs Kansas City Royals Prediction, 8/17/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Seattle Mariners vs Kansas City Royals

Date: Thursday, August 17, 2023

Location: Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO

TV: Bally Sports Kansas City

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

The Seattle Mariners (64-55) are hitting the road to Kauffman Stadium on Thursday where they will attempt to beat the Kansas City Royals (39-82). The line on this contest has Seattle at -142 while Kansas City opens at +120. The total comes in at 8.5. The starting pitchers are George Kirby and Angel Zerpa.

Seattle is slugging .403 and have struck out 1,176 times, while taking a walk on 399 occasions. They have 529 RBI's and 948 base knocks this season, and their average at the plate is .237. The Mariners have tallied 211 doubles as a squad and have smacked 146 baseballs out of the stadium. They have accounted for 547 runs and have an on-base percentage of .315. As a team, the Seattle Mariners are scoring 4.6 runs per outing, which puts them at 13th in the league.

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The Mariners have compiled a team earned run average of 3.72 on the campaign (2nd in MLB), and the staff has struck out 1,086 batters. Mariners pitchers have relinquished 129 long balls and 488 runs in total (3rd in baseball). They have walked 308 batters and their FIP is 3.76 as a team this season. Seattle has allowed 948 hits (8.0 per 9 innings) as well as 441 earned runs. Their strikeout to walk ratio sits at 3.53 and the pitching staff has a collective WHIP of 1.18.

The Mariners bullpen have compiled a save rate of 65.3% and has come into the game in 120 save situations. The relievers have inherited 139 base runners this season with 25.2% of them ended up scoring. Mariners bullpen pitchers have stepped onto the hill with runners on 109 times and also have had 129 appearances in high leverage situations. The Mariners have sent 400 relievers to the mound this year. The bullpen have a total of 70 holds this year (9th in the league). They have compiled 32 saves on the season and have not converted 17 of 49 chances to get a save.

The Mariners have turned 70.0% of balls in play into outs in their 9,609 innings on the field, ranking them 6th in professional baseball. The San Francisco Giants have accumulated 3,203 putouts at this point in the season, in addition to 1,011 assists and 56 errors. Their fielding percentage is currently at .987 which has them sitting 13th in MLB, and have 91 double plays.

Kirby (18-13 mark in his career) has a FIP of 3.09 while he has faced 1,111 hitters during his time in the major leagues. He has allowed 266 hits (8.7 hits per 9 innings) with 36 walks. His earned run average is 3.24 (99 ER's allowed) and his WHIP is 1.100. Kirby has taken the ball for 274 innings and has tallied 264 strikeouts during his pro baseball career.

The Royals have a team slugging % of .394 and they earn 4.01 runs per outing (28th in MLB). They have 198 two-baggers, while taking a walk 295 times and scoring 485 runs. Kansas City has recorded 118 home runs on the year as well as 467 runs batted in. They have been rung up on 1,044 instances (15th in baseball) and have notched a total of 991 base knocks. The Kansas City Royals hold an OBP of .301 as well as a team batting average of .244 for the year.

The Royals have a team WHIP of 1.411 and are the owners of a FIP of 4.67 as a unit for the year. They rank 25th in the league as a pitching staff in total hits relinquished with 1,071. The Kansas City pitching staff have allowed 646 runs on the campaign while having a team ERA of 5.20 (609 earned runs relinquished). Their strikeout to walk ratio sits at 8.00 (934 strikeouts vs 416 bases on balls). They have yielded 149 homers and they allow 5.52 runs per 9 innings (28th in MLB).

Kansas City has had bullpen pitchers step onto the hill in 35 save chances and they have earned 17 saves. They are ranked 29th in MLB holding a save percentage of 48.6%, and they have sent 393 relief pitchers to the hill for the year. Their relievers have taken the field 97 times in high leverage situations and on 81 occasions with runners on base. Kansas City bullpen pitchers hold an inherited score percentage of 40.3% of 129 inherited runners. Sitting with 81 save situations, the Royals have earned 46 holds in addition to 18 blown saves.

Out of their 9,486 innings played, the Royals have earned a efficiency on defense of 68.5% (21st in MLB). The Kansas City Royals have gotten 92 double plays and hold a fielding percentage of .987 (10th in MLB). The Royals have recorded 1,040 assists, 54 errors and have accumulated 3,162 putouts so far this season.

Zerpa (3-3 career win-loss record) has a 3.55 earned run average while conceding 8.5 hits per nine innings. His K/BB ratio is 2.00 and he has gone up against 105 opposing batters in his MLB career. He has conceded a total of 10 earned runs while holding a WHIP of 1.145 and being the owner of a FIP of 5.2. In his MLB career, Zerpa has allowed 24 base knocks while he has totaled 10 punch outs in 25 innings pitched.

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

Tony Sink's Pick: Take Seattle (-142)

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