St. Louis Cardinals vs
Kansas City RoyalsPredictions & Preview

Kansas City Royals Favored to Win In Series Showdown Against St. Louis Cardinals

In the final game of a three-game interleague series, the St. Louis Cardinals (25-20) will be looking to secure a series win as they visit the Kansas City Royals (25-21) at Kauffman Stadium on Sunday afternoon at 2:10 PM ET. The Cardinals' Matthew Liberatore (3-3, 3.11 ERA) will take the mound against the Royals' Michael Wacha (3-4, 2.96 ERA). Both teams have split their last 10 meetings. Kansas City is the betting favorite, opening at -115 with the current line at Kansas City -110. Stay tuned to see which team comes out on top in this Cardinals vs. Royals matchup. Please note that this preview was written before Saturday's game was played.

Betting Odds

• Moneyline: Cardinals -102 | Royals -110
• Spread: Cardinals +1.5 (-210) | Royals -1.5 (+180)
• Total: Over/Under 8.5 (-110)
• Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that Kansas City will win straight-up is 52%.

St. Louis vs Kansas City Stats

St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals are currently experiencing their best stretch of the season, winning 11 of their last 12 games and moving into second place in the NL Central, one game behind the Cubs. They have a strong offensive performance, averaging 4.93 runs per game with a batting average of .264 and an on-base percentage of .338. Brendan Donovan leads the team with a .321 batting average, while Lars Nootbaar leads in home runs and Willson Contreras leads in RBI. Defensively, the Cardinals are giving up 4.09 runs per game with opponents having a .238 batting average against them. Liberatore recently led the team to a 3-2 win over Philadelphia. With a power ranking of 8, the Cardinals are ranked 7 in offense and 13 in defense, with a season record of 25-20.

Kansas City Royals Analysis

The Kansas City Royals have struggled in recent games, losing five of their last six matchups. They are currently ranked fourth in the AL Central standings, just half a game behind Minnesota. Despite their offensive struggles, with a batting average of .242 and averaging 3.41 runs per game, their strong pitching has kept them competitive. The team's defense is ranked second in the league, giving up an average of 3.43 runs per game. In their upcoming game against St. Louis, pitcher Wacha will look to continue his strong performance, having a 4-0 record with a 2.96 ERA in four games against the team. Despite their recent losses, the Royals hold a power ranking of 6 and will aim to improve their position with a win on Sunday.

Kansas City Royals Hold Advantage Over St. Louis Cardinals in Home Game Showdown

The Kansas City Royals have demonstrated their prowess by winning five of their last eight home games, as opposed to the St. Louis Cardinals who have won five of their last six road games. Kansas City holds the advantage due to their strong hitting against right-handers, particularly at home where they maintain a batting average exceeding .250. Despite Liberatore's commendable performance for the Cardinals, his stability on the road is questionable, having allowed 11 runs in four starts. Consequently, it is anticipated that he will struggle to contain the Royals' offense. Conversely, St. Louis may face offensive challenges as they typically do not perform as well on the road. Moreover, their confrontation with Wacha, who has exhibited dominance on the mound at home, is likely to hinder their offensive production. It is recommended to consider placing a bet on Kansas City for a favorable outcome.

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