Kansas City Royals vs Cincinnati Reds Prediction, 8/17/2024 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Kansas City Royals vs Cincinnati Reds

Date: Saturday, August 17, 2024

Location: Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, OH

TV: Bally Sports Kansas City

The Kansas City Royals (66-55) are hitting the road to Great American Ball Park on Saturday where they will meet the Cincinnati Reds (60-61). The pitchers taking the mound will be Michael Wacha and Nick Lodolo.

Kansas City owns a slugging percentage of .416 and have been rung up 819 times, while being walked on 315 occasions. They have accumulated 561 runs batted in and 1,028 base knocks for the season, while their average at the plate is sitting at .254. The Royals have accrued 200 doubles as a team and have hit 132 balls out of the stadium. They have accumulated 577 runs while holding a team on-base percentage of .311. As a team, the Kansas City Royals are recording 4.8 runs per contest, which has them sitting at 10th in MLB.

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Their K/BB ratio is 2.69 and their pitching staff has a collective WHIP of 1.27. Royals pitchers have conceded 117 home runs and also 493 total runs (8th in MLB). Kansas City has relinquished 992 base hits (8.4 per 9 innings) and also 458 earned runs. The Royals have an ERA of 3.88 this season (11th in baseball), and they have struck out 961 hitters. Their pitching staff has walked 357 opposing batters and their FIP is 3.94 as a team on the season.

The Royals have sent 373 relief pitchers to the mound over the course of the season. The relievers have inherited 170 base runners for the season with 27.6% of those runners crossed the plate. They have compiled 29 saves on the season and have not converted 18 of 47 save opportunities. The Royals bullpen have earned a save percentage of 61.7% and stepped onto the hill in 106 save situations. The bullpen have a total of 58 holds so far this year (18th in the league). Royals bullpen pitchers have entered the game with runners on base 95 times as well as having 112 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Kansas City Royals have earned 3,191 putouts this year, in addition to 1,097 assists and 58 errors. Their fielding percentage is at .987 which has them sitting 6th in the majors, and they have turned 96 double plays. The Royals have transformed 69.7% of baseballs in play into outs in their 9,573 innings, ranking them 17th in the majors.

Wacha (97-60 career mark) has earned a FIP of 3.87 and he has faced 5,945 hitters during his time in the majors. He has conceded 1,362 base knocks (8.7 hits per 9 innings) with 450 free passes. His earned run average is 3.92 (614 ER's allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.287. Wacha has taken the ball for 1,408 frames and has totaled 1,244 strikeouts during his MLB career.

The Cincinnati Reds have earned an on-base percentage of .303 as well as a batting average of .230 so far this year. They have struck out on 1,092 instances (7th in the league) and have accounted for 916 base knocks. Cincinnati has 146 home runs for the season as well as 514 runs batted in. The Reds have a slugging percentage of .402 and they score 4.49 runs per contest (14th in the league). They have put up 199 doubles, while getting a free base 363 times and notching 543 runs.

The Cincinnati pitching staff have conceded 488 runs this year while having a team ERA of 3.84 (455 earned runs surrendered). They have relinquished 130 dingers and they allow 4.12 runs per 9 innings (6th in MLB). The Reds are sitting with a team WHIP of 1.232 and are the owners of a FIP of 4.06 as a pitching staff over the course of the season. They have earned a K/BB ratio of 8.70 (1,036 strikeouts against 369 walks). They rank 7th in baseball as a staff in total hits relinquished with 945.

Cincinnati relievers hold an inherited score percentage of 27.9% out of their 165 inherited base runners. Their relief pitchers have stepped onto the mound 111 times in high leverage situations in addition to 104 occasions with runners on base. Sitting with 105 save situations, the Reds have 68 holds and 9 blown saves. They rank 1st in MLB holding a save percentage of 74.3%, and they have sent 391 relievers to the mound so far this year. Cincinnati has had bullpen pitchers enter the contest in 35 save opportunities and they have come away with 26 saves.

Out of their 9,600 innings on the diamond, the Reds have earned a defensive efficiency of 70.3% (12th in pro baseball). The Cincinnati Reds have gotten 73 double plays and have a fielding percentage of .982 (27th in professional baseball). The Reds have recorded 918 assists, 74 errors and have a total of 3,200 putouts over the course of the season.

So far in his pro baseball career, Lodolo has surrendered 231 hits while he has totaled 289 K's in 245 innings pitched. Lodolo (15-12 career record) has a 4.18 earned run average while giving up 8.5 hits per nine innings. He has allowed 114 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.272 and a FIP of 4.1. His K/BB ratio is 3.57 and he has faced 1,062 hitters in his career.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Cincinnati

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