St. Louis Cardinals vs
Kansas City RoyalsPredictions & Preview

St. Louis Cardinals vs Kansas City Royals Set for Intense Opening Game in Interleague Series

The St. Louis Cardinals will face the Kansas City Royals in the opener of a three-game interleague series on Friday night at Kauffman Stadium. The Cardinals (24-20) are on a hot streak, winning 10 of their last 11 games, while the Royals (25-20) are looking to snap out of a recent slump after dropping four of their last five. Andre Pallante will be starting for the Cardinals with a 4.36 ERA, while Cole Ragans will be starting for the Royals with a 4.2 ERA. Kansas City is the betting favorite with the current line at -151. Both teams are firmly in the early playoff conversation.

Betting Odds

• Moneyline: Cardinals +135 | Royals -151
• Spread: Cardinals +1.5 (-156) | Royals -1.5 (+135)
• Total: Over/Under 8.5 (-110)
• Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that Kansas City will win straight-up is 60%.

St. Louis vs Kansas City Stats

St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals are currently on a hot streak, winning 10 of their last 11 games and moving up to second in the NL Central, just one game behind the Cubs. Offensively, they are performing well, ranking 7th in MLB in runs scored and 4th in team batting average. Standout player Brendan Donovan leads the team in batting average and OPS, while Lars Nootbaar leads in home runs. On the pitching side, the team has a solid ERA and WHIP, with starter Andre Pallante having a mixed performance but still contributing to the team's success. The bullpen has been a strength recently. The Cardinals have also been successful in limiting errors and have a favorable matchup against the Kansas City Royals. Overall, the Cardinals are ranked #8 in power rankings and have a record of 24-20 this season.

Kansas City Royals Analysis

The Kansas City Royals have shown themselves as one of the best surprises in MLB, largely due to their strong pitching with a 3.03 team ERA and 23 quality starts. However, their offense has been struggling, ranking near the bottom in runs scored, OPS, and home runs. Bobby Witt Jr. and Vinnie Pasquantino have been standouts offensively. Cole Ragans will need to perform well on the mound against the Cardinals, as the bullpen is already carrying a heavy load. The Royals have a power ranking of 6 and are ranked 26th for offense, 2nd for defense, and have a record of 25-20. The St. Louis Cardinals have won 2 out of their last 3 matchups against Kansas City.

Cardinals Run Line a Strong Bet Against Struggling Royals Offense

It may be more advantageous to consider placing a wager on the St. Louis Cardinals to cover the run line, rather than relying on the struggling Kansas City Royals offense to secure a victory. The Cardinals have demonstrated strong performance and are currently among the top-performing teams in baseball, with a consistent offense that ranks favorably in terms of runs per game. On the other hand, the Royals have struggled to score at home and have not historically performed well against Pallante. Opting to invest in the Cardinals to either keep the game competitive or emerge victorious is a strategic decision that may yield a more favorable outcome.

Sources: [ 1 ] [ 2 ]