Kansas City Royals vs Oakland Athletics Prediction, 6/20/2024 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Kansas City Royals vs Oakland Athletics

Date: Thursday, June 20, 2024

Location: Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, CA

TV: NBC Sports California

Odds/Point Spread: Kansas City (-144) Oakland (+122)

Oakland Coliseum is the site where the Oakland Athletics (27-48) will compete against the Kansas City Royals (41-33) on Thursday. The odds on this game have the Royals at -144 while the Athletics are opening at +122. The over/under is 7.5. The pitchers taking the mound are Seth Lugo and Mitch Spence.

As a squad, the Kansas City Royals are recording 4.8 runs per game, which puts them at 8th in the league. They have accounted for 356 runs while having a team on-base percentage of .312. The Royals have hit 128 two-baggers as a unit and have hit 72 balls out of the park. They have earned 345 runs batted in and 615 base knocks for the year, while their team batting average is .249. Kansas City has a slugging percentage of .404 and have struck out 514 times, while drawing a walk on 215 occasions.

Get all of our MLB Picks Today

Their strikeout to walk ratio is 2.62 and their pitching staff has recorded a WHIP of 1.26. Royals pitchers have conceded 68 home runs and also 297 total runs (9th in MLB). Kansas City has surrendered 597 hits (8.3 per 9 innings) as well as 277 earned runs. The Royals hold a team earned run average of 3.84 on the campaign (13th in baseball), and the staff has struck out 578 batters. Their pitching staff has walked 221 opposing players and their FIP is 3.91 as a unit for the year.

The Royals relief pitchers have accumulated a save percentage of 64.3% and has entered the game in 64 save situations. The relief pitchers have inherited 95 runners over the course of the season and 28.4% of those runners crossed home plate. Royals bullpen pitchers have stepped onto the hill with opponents on base 54 times as well as having 72 appearances in high leverage situations. The Royals have sent 233 relievers to the mound so far this year. The bullpen are sitting with 35 holds this season (21st in baseball). They have earned 18 saves so far this season and have blown 10 out of their 28 chances to save the game.

The Kansas City Royals have 1,947 putouts at this point in the season, in addition to 670 assists and 35 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding steady at .987 which is 7th in the majors, and have accumulated 52 double plays. The Royals have converted 70.1% of balls hit into play into outs in their 5,841 innings, which has them sitting at 13th in pro baseball.

Lugo has taken the mound for 738 frames and has accumulated 727 K's so far in his pro baseball career. His earned run average is 3.35 (275 ER's allowed) and his WHIP is 1.157. He has allowed 660 base knocks (8.0 hits per 9 innings) and has 194 walks. Lugo (50-33 career record) is the owner of a FIP of 3.30 while he has faced 3,043 opposing hitters during his time in the majors.

The Oakland Athletics have accounted for a team on-base percentage of .292 and a team batting average of .222 on the year. They have struck out on 732 occasions (2nd in baseball) and have notched a total of 555 hits. Oakland has recorded 85 long balls on the season and 260 runs batted in. The Athletics hold a team slugging % of .374 and they are scoring 3.64 runs per outing (28th in the league). They have put up 107 two-baggers, while taking a walk 227 times and recording 273 runs.

The Athletics are sitting with a team WHIP of 1.345 in addition to having a FIP of 4.29 as a team this year. Their K/BB ratio sits at 7.50 (555 strikeouts vs 249 walks). They come in at 27th in baseball as a staff in total hits relinquished with 643. They have surrendered 77 dingers and they yield 4.93 runs per 9 innings (26th in MLB). The Oakland pitching staff have relinquished 363 runs so far this season while having an ERA of 4.34 (320 earned runs conceded).

Oakland relievers have an inherited score percentage of 30.8% out of 104 inherited runners. Their bullpen pitchers have stepped onto the hill 82 times in high leverage situations in addition to 80 occasions with runners on base. Sitting with 75 save situations, the Athletics have earned 47 holds and also 11 blown saves. They are ranked 21st in MLB holding a save rate of 59.3%, and they have sent 241 relievers onto the diamond so far this season. Oakland has had bullpen pitchers step onto the mound in 27 save opportunities and they have come away with 16 saves.

In their 5,970 innings played, the Athletics are sitting with a efficiency on defense of 69.0% (24th in pro baseball). The Oakland Athletics have gotten 75 double plays and have earned a fielding percentage of .982 (27th in pro baseball). The Athletics have accrued 664 assists, 48 errors and have earned a total of 1,990 putouts for the season.

During his career, Spence has surrendered 55 hits while tallying 43 strikeouts in 57 frames. Spence (4-3 career win-loss mark) has earned a 3.95 earned run average and has surrendered 8.7 hits per nine innings. He has surrendered a total of 25 ER's while holding a WHIP of 1.211 and a FIP of 3.9. He has a K/BB ratio of 3.07 and he has gone up against 229 opposing batters so far in his MLB career.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Oakland (+122)

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