St. Louis Cardinals vs
Kansas City RoyalsPredictions & Preview

Kansas City Royals Favored to Win Against St. Louis Cardinals in Opening Game of Three-Game Series

The St. Louis Cardinals will face the Kansas City Royals in the opening game of a three-game interleague series on Friday night. The Cardinals are coming off a loss to the Tampa Bay Rays, while the Royals last played on Wednesday and secured a win over the Boston Red Sox. Miles Mikolas will be on the mound for St. Louis, while Michael Lorenzen will be pitching for Kansas City. The Royals are the betting favorite with the current line at -118.

Betting Odds

• Moneyline: Cardinals +105 | Royals -118
• Spread: Cardinals +1.5 (-192) | Royals -1.5 (+165)
• Total: Over/Under 9 (-110)
• Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that Kansas City will win straight-up is 54%.

St. Louis vs Kansas City Stats

St. Louis Cardinals

The St. Louis Cardinals are currently looking to secure a playoff spot, sitting in second place in the NL Central with a 59-57 record. Despite struggling at the plate with a .246/.309/.386 team slash line, they have made moves to strengthen their roster at the trade deadline. Veteran first baseman Paul Goldschmidt is hoping to improve his performance in the final months of the season. Pitcher Miles Mikolas will take the mound, coming off a recent loss to the Chicago Cubs. The Cardinals rank 23rd in power rankings, 23rd in offense with an average of 4.15 runs per game, and 20th in defense with an average of 4.53 runs allowed per game.

Kansas City Royals Analysis

The Kansas City Royals have been performing well this season, currently third in the AL Central with a 64-52 record. They have a strong team OPS of .725 and average 4.64 runs per game. Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. has been hitting exceptionally well with a 1.000 OPS and .349 BA, making a case for himself in the AL MVP race. Pitcher Michael Lorenzen has been pitching effectively, most recently allowing one run in 5.2 innings against the Detroit Tigers. The team has a power ranking of 7 and ranks 10th in offense, scoring an average of 4.78 runs per game, and 5th in defense, allowing an average of 3.97 points per game. In their last three matchups, the St. Louis Cardinals won two out of three games against the Royals.

Pitching and Offensive Statistics Favor Kansas City Royals in Upcoming Matchup against St. Louis Cardinals

In terms of pitching statistics, Miles Mikolas boasts a 7-5 record with a 4.17 ERA and a .274 opposing batting average in 13 away games this season. On the other hand, Michael Lorenzen holds a 1-2 record with a 3.18 ERA and a .209 batting average against in seven home games. When evaluating offensive performance post-All-Star break, the St. Louis Cardinals are ranked 21st in the league with a .698 team OPS and an average of 4.15 runs in their 20 games. In contrast, the Kansas City Royals rank seventh with a .791 team OPS, scoring an average of 5.98 runs in their 19 games since the break. Given these statistics, it is recommended to place a wager on the Kansas City Royals to emerge victorious in this upcoming contest against another potential playoff contender.

Sources: [ 1 ] [ 2 ]