Kansas City Royals vs
St. Louis CardinalsPredictions & Preview

Cardinals Favored to Win against Royals in MLB Matchup at Busch Stadium

On Thursday, June 5, the MLB action features a matchup between the Kansas City Royals and the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium in St. Louis, Missouri. The Cardinals currently lead the series 2-1 after two weeks ago, having won two out of three games against the Royals in Kansas City. The Cardinals are favored to win with a moneyline of -120, and the total runs are set at 7.5. The starting pitchers for the game are Cole Ragans for the Royals and Matthew Liberatore for the Cardinals. St. Louis opened as a -114 favorite, with the current line at -115. The game is set to start at 7:45 PM ET.

Betting Odds

• Moneyline: Royals +104 | Cardinals -115
• Spread: Royals +1.5 (-212) | Cardinals -1.5 (+180)
• Total: Over/Under 7 (-110)
• Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that St. Louis will win straight-up is 53%.

Kansas City vs St. Louis Stats

Kansas City Royals

In the recent matchup against the St. Louis Cardinals, the Kansas City Royals staged an impressive comeback to win despite their struggles with offense this season. Bobby Witt Jr. played a key role in the victory, contributing with a two-run homer and a two-run single. The Royals, who have been lacking in home runs and runs scored per game, managed to out hit their opponents in this game. Additionally, Cole Ragans is set to return from the IL with a solid performance record this season. Despite their offensive challenges, the Royals have excelled defensively and have a respectable record of 32-29 this season, ranking 24th in power rankings.

St. Louis Cardinals Analysis

The St. Louis Cardinals lost a lead to the Royals, with their pitching struggling and the offense not producing consistently in their last 10 games. Matthew Liberatore will be starting the upcoming game against the Royals, with a decent track record against them. The Cardinals have a power ranking of 10 and are ranked #8 for offense, #13 for defense, and currently hold a record of 33-27. In their last 3 matchups, Kansas City went 1-2 against St. Louis.

Cardinals Have Advantage Over Rangers due to Pitching Stats

Cole Ragans has demonstrated an impressive 14.2 K/9 rate, although his performance in terms of run prevention has shown room for improvement. Regrettably, Ragans has allowed four earned runs in each of his last two starts, which included a recent home game against the Cardinals. Conversely, Matthew Liberatore is seeking a rebound following a challenging game against Texas. Liberatore displayed strong command during his dominant performance against the Royals in Kansas City, showcasing overall consistency throughout the season. In light of the Royals' struggles against left-handed pitchers over the past 10 days, evidenced by a .384 OPS and 10 wRC+, the Cardinals appear to have an advantage with their .788 OPS and 125 wRC+ against southpaws in recent matchups. Ultimately, the Cardinals appear to be the favorable choice given these statistical factors.

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