The Kansas City Royals are set to host the Cleveland Guardians in a four-game series starting Thursday at 8:10 p.m. EDT. The Royals, sitting at 44-38 overall and 27-15 at home, will send Michael Wacha to the mound against the Guardians’ Ben Lively. Cleveland, boasting a 51-27 record and a 25-18 mark on the road, is favored at -116, with the over/under set at 8.5 runs.
The Royals have shown prowess at home, especially when hitting two or more home runs, boasting a 15-6 record in such games. The Guardians, meanwhile, have a collective .411 slugging percentage, ranking ninth in the MLB.
Bobby Witt Jr. has been a bright spot for the Royals, with 22 doubles, eight triples, and 12 home runs. Freddy Fermin has also been impressive, going 9-for-33 with two doubles, two home runs, and five RBI over the last 10 games.
For the Guardians, Steven Kwan has been a force, with 12 doubles, two triples, seven home runs, and 24 RBI. Will Brennan has also shown promise, going 13-for-35 with two doubles and three home runs over the past 10 games.
Both teams have experienced varying levels of success in their last 10 games, with the Royals going 3-7 and the Guardians 7-3.
The Guardians have outscored their opponents by 18 runs, while the Royals have been outscored by 16. Several players on both teams are currently sidelined with injuries, including Adam Frazier, Shane Bieber, and James Karinchak.