Oakland Athletics vs Kansas City Royals Prediction, 5/18/2024 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Oakland Athletics vs Kansas City Royals

Date: Saturday, May 18, 2024

Location: Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO

TV: NBC Sports California

Odds/Point Spread: Oakland (+164) Kansas City (-196)

The Oakland Athletics (19-27) are en route to Kauffman Stadium on Saturday where they will attempt to beat the Kansas City Royals (26-19). The line on this contest has the Athletics at +164 while the Royals are sitting at -196. The total is 9. The pitchers taking the mound will be Ross Stripling and Seth Lugo.

Oakland has a slugging rate of .377 and have been called out on strikes 437 times, while taking a walk on 148 occasions. They have accrued 165 RBI's in addition to 329 hits so far this season, and their batting average is .218. The Athletics have tallied 63 doubles as a squad and have hit 55 baseballs out of the stadium. They have earned a total of 171 runs and have an on-base percentage of .294. As a unit, the Oakland Athletics are putting up 3.7 runs per game, which ranks them 26th in MLB.

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They have earned a K/BB ratio of 2.41 and the pitching staff has a collective WHIP of 1.33. Athletics pitchers have allowed 42 home runs in addition to 221 runs in total (27th in the league). Oakland has yielded 387 hits (8.6 per 9 innings) and also 197 earned runs. The Athletics have a team earned run average of 4.37 this season (22nd in baseball), and their staff has struck out 367 batters. Their pitching staff has walked 152 opposing players and their FIP sits at 3.97 as a team for the season.

The Athletics relief pitchers have recorded a save rate of 66.7% and has come into the game in 43 save situations. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 53 runners this year and 34.0% of those players ended up scoring. Athletics relief pitchers have come into the game with runners on 40 times and also have had 40 appearances in high leverage situations. The Athletics have sent 138 relief pitchers to the hill this year. The relief pitchers have earned 28 holds for the year (9th in the league). They have 10 saves on the year and have not converted 5 of their 15 save opportunities.

The Athletics have converted 68.0% of baseballs in play into outs in their 3,648 innings, which has them sitting at 26th in pro baseball. The Oakland Athletics have a tally of 1,216 putouts this year, in addition to 398 assists and 35 errors. Their fielding rate is holding steady at .979 which is 30th in pro baseball, and they have turned 49 double plays.

Stripling has thrown 808 innings and has accounted for 722 punch outs so far in his pro baseball career. Stripling (39-50 win-loss record in his career) sits with a FIP of 4.08 and he has faced 3,373 opposing hitters during his time in the majors. His ERA is 4.02 (361 earned runs allowed) and he has a career WHIP of 1.231. He has surrendered 808 base knocks (9.0 hits per 9 innings) and has 187 free passes.

The Royals hold a team SLG% of .385 and they have an average of 4.49 runs per game (14th in the league). They have 75 two-baggers, while walking 124 times and recording 202 runs. Kansas City has accounted for 41 long balls for the year to go along with 194 RBIs. They have struck out on 315 occasions (28th in baseball) and have totaled 356 base hits. The Kansas City Royals are sitting with an OBP of .302 and a team batting average of .239 for the year.

The Royals hold a team WHIP of 1.244 in addition to having a FIP of 3.71 as a staff on the year. Their K/BB ratio comes in at 8.00 (350 strikeouts against 135 free passes). They are currently ranked 15th in MLB as a staff in total hits given up with 354. They have surrendered 37 dingers and they allow 3.60 runs per 9 innings (3rd in baseball). The Kansas City pitching staff have surrendered 157 runs so far this year while having a team ERA of 3.46 (151 earned runs yielded).

Kansas City has called on bullpen pitchers to take the mound in 19 save chances and they have recorded 14 saves. They are ranked 5th in baseball holding a save percentage of 73.7%, and they have sent 137 bullpen pitchers to the hill for the year. Their relief pitchers have taken the field 49 times in high leverage situations in addition to 27 occasions with runners on. Kansas City relief pitchers have an inherited score percentage of 24.0% out of 50 inherited runners. Sitting with 47 save situations, the Royals have accumulated 27 holds in addition to 5 blown saves.

The Kansas City Royals have turned 30 double plays and own a fielding percentage of .989 (6th in the majors). The Royals have accrued 402 assists, 18 errors and have accumulated 1,179 putouts on the campaign. In 3,537 innings played, the Royals have a efficiency on defense of 70.5% (11th in pro baseball).

In his pro baseball career, Lugo has given up 624 base knocks while totaling 696 strikeouts in 700 innings pitched. He has conceded a total of 260 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.155 and being the owner of a FIP of 3.6. He has a K/BB ratio of 3.76 and he has gone up against 2,883 hitters so far in his MLB career. Lugo (46-32 career win-loss mark) is the owner of a 3.34 earned run average while conceding 8.0 hits per 9 innings.

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

Tony Sink's Pick: Take Kansas City (-196)

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