Oakland Athletics vs Kansas City Royals Prediction, 5/17/2024 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Oakland Athletics vs Kansas City Royals

Date: Friday, May 17, 2024

Location: Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO

TV: Bally Sports Kansas City

The Oakland Athletics (19-26) are en route to Kauffman Stadium on Friday where they will take on the Kansas City Royals (26-19). The pitchers taking the mound are Kyle Muller and Cole Ragans.

Oakland has a slugging rate of .381 and have been called out on strikes 427 times, while being walked on 147 occasions. They have accounted for 164 runs batted in and 325 hits on the season, while their batting average is .220. The Athletics have accounted for 62 doubles as a team and have hit 55 baseballs out of the park. They have notched a total of 170 runs scored and hold an OBP of .296. As a team, the Oakland Athletics are notching 3.8 runs per game, which puts them at 24th in baseball.

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They have earned a strikeout to walk ratio of 2.46 and the pitching staff holds a collective WHIP of 1.32. Athletics pitchers have conceded 41 home runs and 213 total runs (25th in the league). Oakland has surrendered 379 hits (8.6 per 9 innings) and also 189 earned runs. The Athletics have an earned run average of 4.28 on the season (21st in MLB), and they have struck out 359 hitters. They have walked 146 opposing batters and their FIP sits at 3.93 as a team this season.

The Athletics have dispatched 136 relievers to the mound this season. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 52 runners so far this season with 32.7% of those runners crossed home plate. They have 10 saves so far this season and have missed out on 5 of their 15 save opportunities. The Athletics relief pitchers have accumulated a save percentage of 66.7% and has come into the game in 43 save situations. The relievers have racked up 28 holds over the course of the season (9th in the league). Athletics bullpen pitchers have come into the game with runners on base 39 times and also have had 40 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Oakland Athletics have accumulated 1,192 putouts on the campaign, in addition to 392 assists and 35 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding steady at .978 which puts them in 30th in MLB, and have a total of 48 double plays. The Athletics have converted 68.0% of balls hit into play into outs out of their 3,576 innings on the diamond, which has them sitting at 26th in the majors.

Muller has taken the ball for 153 frames and has accounted for 128 punch outs in his MLB career. Muller (4-10 win-loss record in his career) sits with a FIP of 5.10 while he has gone up against 700 hitters during his time in the major leagues. His earned run average is 6.15 (105 earned runs allowed) and his WHIP is 1.627. He has surrendered 177 base hits (10.4 hits per nine innings) with 73 walks.

The Royals have a slugging percentage of .385 and they tally 4.49 runs per outing (13th in MLB). They have put up 75 two-baggers, while taking a walk 124 times and racking up 202 runs. Kansas City has a total of 41 HRs so far this year to go along with 194 runs batted in. They have been called out on strikes on 315 occasions (28th in the league) and have earned 356 hits. The Kansas City Royals have a team on-base percentage of .302 in addition to a team batting average of .239 this year.

The Royals are sitting with a team WHIP of 1.244 and have a FIP of 3.70 as a staff so far this year. They currently have a strikeout to walk ratio of 8.00 (350 strikeouts vs 135 walks). They are sitting at 16th in MLB as a pitching staff in total hits given up with 354. They have conceded 37 homers and they surrender 3.60 runs per 9 innings (4th in baseball). The Kansas City pitching staff have surrendered 157 runs for the season while having a team ERA of 3.46 (151 earned runs yielded).

Sitting with 47 save situations, the Royals have accrued 27 holds and also 5 blown saves. Kansas City has had bullpen pitchers take the mound in 19 save opportunities and they have walked away with 14 saves. Their relief pitchers have come in 49 times in high leverage situations and also on 27 occasions with runners on. Kansas City relievers hold an inherited score percentage of 24.0% out of their 50 inherited runners. They are ranked 5th in the league with a save rate of 73.7%, and they have sent 137 bullpen pitchers to the mound for the year.

In 3,537 innings on the field, the Royals are sitting with a defensive efficiency of 70.5% (11th in the majors). The Kansas City Royals have turned 30 double plays and have a fielding percentage of .989 (6th in MLB). The Royals have accrued 402 assists, 18 errors and have 1,179 putouts for the year.

So far in his career, Ragans has allowed 160 base knocks while tallying 197 strikeouts in 185 innings. He has given up 82 earned runs while earning a WHIP of 1.259 and a FIP of 3.4. He has a K/BB ratio of 2.70 and he has gone up against 775 batters during his career. Ragans (9-11 career record) is the owner of a 3.99 earned run average and has conceded 7.8 hits per 9 innings.

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

Josh Schonwald's Pick: Take Oakland

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