Washington Nationals vs Kansas City Royals Prediction, 5/26/2023 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Washington Nationals vs Kansas City Royals

Date: Friday, May 26, 2023

Location: Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO

TV: Bally Sports Kansas City

The Kansas City Royals (15-36) will try to defeat the Washington Nationals (21-28) at Kauffman Stadium on Friday. The starting pitchers will be Patrick Corbin and Jordan Lyles.

As a team, the Washington Nationals are earning 4.1 runs per game, which has them sitting at 24th in the league. They have 202 runs scored and hold an OBP of .324. The Nationals have accounted for 76 doubles as a unit and have smacked 36 baseballs out of the stadium. They have accumulated 193 runs batted in and 439 hits for the year, and their team batting average comes in at .264. Washington has a slugging rate of .383 and have been called out on strikes 348 times, while drawing a walk on 129 occasions.

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They have a strikeout to walk ratio of 1.96 and the pitching staff holds a WHIP of 1.42. Nationals pitchers have surrendered 59 home runs and 224 total runs (17th in MLB). Washington has surrendered 428 base hits (9.0 per 9 innings) and 209 earned runs. The Nationals hold a team earned run average of 4.37 on the campaign (18th in the league), and their staff has struck out 357 hitters. Their pitching staff has walked 182 batters and their FIP comes in at 4.77 as a squad for the season.

The Nationals have dispatched 154 relievers to the mound on the season. The relief pitchers have inherited 75 base runners on the campaign with 29.3% of them ended up crossing the plate. They have accumulated 14 saves so far this year and have blown 10 of their 24 save opportunities. The Nationals bullpen have a save rate of 58.3% and stepped onto the hill in 48 save situations. The relief pitchers are sitting with 24 holds this year (22nd in baseball). Nationals pitchers have entered the game with runners on 45 times and also have had 42 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Nationals have transformed 69.1% of balls in play into outs out of their 3,870 innings, ranking them 17th in the majors. The Washington Nationals have earned 1,290 putouts on the year, in addition to 477 assists and 31 errors. Their fielding percentage is currently at .983 which is 23rd in MLB, and have accumulated 47 double plays.

Corbin has taken the ball for 1,594 innings and is sitting with 1,500 strikeouts in his MLB career. His ERA is 4.31 (764 earned runs allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.346. He has surrendered 1,668 hits (9.4 hits per nine innings) and has 478 walks. Corbin (90-108 career mark) sits with a FIP of 3.98 and he has faced 6,838 batters in the major leagues.

The Royals have a team slugging % of .380 and they are earning 3.88 runs per game (26th in baseball). They have 86 two-baggers, while walking 137 times and scoring 198 runs. Kansas City has accumulated 49 home runs this year as well as 190 RBIs. They have struck out on 456 occasions (6th in MLB) and are sitting with 390 base hits. The Kansas City Royals have accumulated a team OBP of .292 as well as a team batting average of .229 so far this season.

The Royals are sitting with a team WHIP of 1.445 and have a FIP of 4.60 as a team for the season. Their strikeout to walk ratio is 8.80 (434 strikeouts against 197 free passes). They rank 26th in baseball as a staff in total hits relinquished with 446. They have conceded 62 homers and they yield 5.48 runs per 9 innings (28th in MLB). The Kansas City pitching staff have given up 271 runs so far this season while holding a team ERA of 5.16 (255 earned runs relinquished).

With 31 save situations, the Royals have accrued 17 holds and 6 blown saves. Kansas City has had bullpen pitchers step onto the hill in 14 save chances and they have earned 8 saves. Their relievers have come in 41 times in high leverage situations in addition to 31 occasions with base runners. Kansas City relievers have an inherited score percentage of 41.5% of 53 inherited runners. They sit at 22nd in MLB with a save rate of 57.1%, and they have sent 173 relief pitchers onto the diamond so far this year.

In 4,008 innings on the diamond, the Royals hold a defensive efficiency of 67.7% (24th in the majors). The Kansas City Royals have turned 44 double plays and have accounted for a fielding rate of .987 (14th in pro baseball). The Royals have accrued 428 assists, 24 errors and have 1,336 putouts over the course of the season.

In his pro baseball career, Lyles has surrendered 1,504 base hits while tallying 1,065 K's in 1,383 frames. Lyles (66-98 mark in his career) has earned a 5.19 ERA and has given up 9.8 hits per nine innings. He has surrendered 797 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.424 and being the owner of a FIP of 4.7. He has a K/BB ratio of 2.29 and he has faced 6,067 batters in his career.

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

Tony Sink's Pick: Take Kansas City

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