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  1. Home
  2. MLB Picks
  3. Chicago Cubs vs Kansas City Royals
Sat 7:10 PM ET
Chicago Cubs logo
Chicago
Cubs9
S. Imanaga LHP
versus
Kansas City Royals logo
Kansas City
Royals4
S. Lugo RHP
Final
Team123456789T
Chicago Cubs2010004029
Kansas City Royals0100030

Royals Favored to Win Against Cubs in Saturday Showdown at Kauffman Stadium

Game time: July 27, 2024 at 7:10 PM ET

Venue: Kauffman Stadium — Kansas City, Missouri

Article updated Jul 26, 10:21 PM EDT

Published by SportsJaw Editorial Team

On Saturday evening, the Chicago Cubs face off against the Kansas City Royals in the second game of their series at Kauffman Stadium. Shota Imanaga will take the mound for

Game outlook

On Saturday evening, the Chicago Cubs face off against the Kansas City Royals in the second game of their series at Kauffman Stadium. Shota Imanaga will take the mound for the Cubs, while Seth Lugo will pitch for the Royals. The Cubs won two out of three games in their previous series against the Royals last season. The game is set for 7:10 PM Eastern time, with the Royals favored to win at -118.

Betting Odds

Moneyline: Cubs +107 | Royals -118

Spread: Cubs +1.5 (-205) | Royals -1.5 (+175)

Total: Over/Under 8 (-110)

Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that Kansas City will win straight-up is 54%.

Chicago Cubs

The Cubs recently dropped two of three games to the Brewers, including a 3-2 defeat in the series finale. William Contreras of the Brewers broke the tie with a RBI double in the ninth inning. Justin Steele had a solid performance, going 5.1 innings and allowing two earned runs. The Cubs' offense has struggled, scoring three runs or less in six straight contests. The team's manager, Craig Counsell, noted the lack of runs as a key issue. In upcoming games, Imanaga will make his first appearance against the Royals, boasting a 57-46 record with a 1.89 ERA. Key injuries include Cody Bellinger remaining on the IL with a finger issue. Chicago is currently ranked 24th in offense, 11th in defense, and holds a 49-55 season record.

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MLB · Chicago Cubs at Kansas City Royals

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Kansas City Royals Analysis

Despite a recent setback, the Kansas City Royals have shown strong offensive performance, scoring four or more runs in five of their last six games. Unfortunately, a late-game collapse led to a defeat against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Manager Matt Quatraro acknowledged the team's resilience in coming back from an early deficit but credited the Diamondbacks for executing in the final inning. Key player performances include Bobby Witt Jr. raising his average to .344 with three hits in the game. The Royals currently hold a power ranking of 6 and are ranked #12 for offense, averaging 4.62 runs per game. Injuries continue to impact the team, with left fielder MJ Melendez sidelined with an ankle injury. Looking ahead, the Royals will aim to bounce back and improve their overall record of 57-46.

Lugo's Dominance at Kauffman Stadium Sets Stage for Royals' Home Victory Against Struggling Cubs

Lugo boasts an impressive 5-2 record with a 2.24 ERA in his 10 starts at Kauffman Stadium this year, demonstrating consistent success since early June. The Kansas City Royals have also been performing well at home, winning 63.6% of their games and coming out on top in four of their last six matches. In contrast, the Chicago Cubs have struggled on the road, either splitting or losing six of their last seven away series and winning less than 45% of their games this season. The Royals have a noticeable offensive advantage in this matchup, leading the league in home batting average, while the Cubs rank poorly in multiple key categories. Additionally, the Royals' pitching staff has excelled, ranking 11th in the league in ERA and limiting opponents to just one run in three of their last six games. Taking into account these statistics and trends, a Kansas City victory at home on Saturday seems promising.

SportsJawGame Predictions
Predicted score

Unavailable for this preview

Projected winnerUnavailableConfidencelow
Pick on the Spread

Published pick: Unavailable

Pick on the Total

Published pick: Unavailable

#ChicagoCubs#KansasCityRoyals

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Written by

SportsJaw Editorial Team

SportsJaw published this archived preview from its original game-day article. Its prediction and quoted lines are preserved as written.

About our editorial process

SportsJaw Cubs vs Royals archived game preview contains historical odds and availability that may no longer be current. View history of past Cubs vs Royals matchups or learn how our predictions work.

Current matchup data

Lines, trends and availability

Line movement since open

  • Moneyline · Chicago Cubs+107 → +121Moved
  • Moneyline · Kansas City Royals-118 → -132Moved
  • Spread · Chicago Cubs+1.5 (-205) → +1.5 (-180)Moved
  • Spread · Kansas City Royals-1.5 (+175) → -1.5 (+159)Moved
  • Total · Over8 (-110) → 8 (-110)Unchanged
  • Total · Under8 (-110) → 8 (-110)Unchanged

ATS and O/U trends

Chicago Cubs
48-53 matchup record · 3-7-0 ATS · 3-7-0 O/U
Last 10 completed games on file
Kansas City Royals
57-46 matchup record · 8-2-0 ATS · 3-7-0 O/U
Last 10 completed games on file

Injuries and availability

From the published research (2024-07-27T02:21:20.756Z). Availability may have changed; review the cited sources.

The Cubs recently dropped two of three games to the Brewers, including a 3-2 defeat in the series finale. William Contreras of the Brewers broke the tie with a RBI double in the ninth inning. Justin Steele had a solid performance, going 5.1 innings and allowing two earned runs. The Cubs' offense has struggled, scoring three runs or less in six straight contests. The team's manager, Craig Counsell, noted the lack of runs as a key issue. In upcoming games, Imanaga will make his first appearance against the Royals, boasting a 57-46 record with a 1.89 ERA. Key injuries include Cody Bellinger remaining on the IL with a finger issue. Chicago is currently ranked 24th in offense, 11th in defense, and holds a 49-55 season record.

Despite a recent setback, the Kansas City Royals have shown strong offensive performance, scoring four or more runs in five of their last six games. Unfortunately, a late-game collapse led to a defeat against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Manager Matt Quatraro acknowledged the team's resilience in coming back from an early deficit but credited the Diamondbacks for executing in the final inning. Key player performances include Bobby Witt Jr. raising his average to .344 with three hits in the game. The Royals currently hold a power ranking of 6 and are ranked #12 for offense, averaging 4.62 runs per game. Injuries continue to impact the team, with left fielder MJ Melendez sidelined with an ankle injury. Looking ahead, the Royals will aim to bounce back and improve their overall record of 57-46.

Recent head-to-head

  • 2024-07-26Chicago Cubs 0 · Kansas City Royals 6
Final result

Matchup pick recap

Chicago Cubs defeated Kansas City Royals 9-4

Chicago Cubs defeated Kansas City Royals 9-4 on July 27, 2024, a 5-run decision in the series. Chicago Cubs' strongest period was the 7th inning, when it outscored its opponent 4-0. Against SportsJaw's recorded Chicago Cubs +1.5 (-180) spread, Chicago Cubs covered, while the 13 combined runs finished over the recorded total of 8.

SportsJaw editorial picks

  • Projected winnerNo published selectionUnavailable

Tipster picks

  • Tbone91Moneyline · Kansas City Royals -118Loss
  • JohnnywalkerMoneyline · Chicago Cubs -118Win
  • 1118240754Moneyline · Chicago Cubs +107Win
  • SimonsaysMoneyline · Chicago Cubs +107Win
  • SimonsaysTotal · Over 8 (-110)Win
  • KrockpicksMoneyline · Kansas City Royals -118Loss
  • BluedevilMoneyline · Chicago Cubs -118Win
  • AliencreationTotal · Under 8 (-110)Loss
  • DtownsendTotal · Under 8 (-110)Loss
  • AveragejoeTotal · Over 8 (-110)Win
  • VegaspatMoneyline · Chicago Cubs +104Win
  • Novacek84Total · Over 8 (-110)Win
Johnmizner
Moneyline · Kansas City Royals -118
Loss
  • DemarcusBryantTotal · Over 8 (-110)Win
  • Teddy718Moneyline · Chicago Cubs +107Win
  • MauriceJonesMoneyline · Chicago Cubs +107Win
  • BooksworstnightmareMoneyline · Kansas City Royals -129Loss
  • JamescashiolaMoneyline · Chicago Cubs -132Win