The Kansas City Royals were on the verge of overtaking the Cleveland Guardians last week for first place in the American League Central. However, a seven-game skid by the Royals has pushed them 4.5 games out of the top spot as Kansas City looks to rebound on Tuesday night at Kauffman Stadium.
The Guardians topped the Royals in Monday's series opener, 4-2, marking Cleveland's fourth win in the past five games. Opening pitch is scheduled for 7:40 p.m. ET. Read below for my Guardians vs. Royals predictions for Tuesday.
Guardians vs Rays Prediction
- Guardians vs. Rays pick: Royals -102 (Play to -115)
My Guardians-Royals best bet and prediction is on Kansas City, where I see value at -102 on the moneyline. The best line is available at FanDuel, as well as other sportsbooks — make sure to find the best odds by checking our live MLB odds page.
Guardians vs Royals Odds
| Guardians Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +142 | 8 -110o / -110u | -116 |
| Royals Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -172 | 8 -110o / -110u | -102 |
- Guardians vs. Royals run line: -1.5 (Guardians +142, Royals -172)
- Guardians vs. Royals total: Over/under 8 runs scored
- Guardians vs. Royals moneylines: Guardians -116 | Royals -102
Guardians vs Royals Projected Starting Pitchers
| RHP Tanner Bibee (CLE) | Stat | RHP Brady Singer (KC) |
|---|---|---|
| 10-6 | W-L | 9-9 |
| 2.8 | fWAR (FanGraphs) | 2.9 |
| 3.65/3.71 | ERA /xERA | 3.36/4.39 |
| 3.56/3.69 | FIP / xFIP | 3.60/3.51 |
| 1.13 | WHIP | 1.24 |
| 20.6% | K-BB% | 16.5% |
| 34.8% | GB% | 47.9% |
| 100 | Stuff+ | 84 |
| 104 | Location+ | 100 |
Kevin Rogers’ Guardians vs Royals Preview
Cleveland Guardians Betting Preview: The Road's Been Kinder to Bibee
Circling back to last week's series at Progressive Field, the Guardians dropped the first three games against the Royals, as the two teams were tied at 75-58 on Aug. 27. However, Cleveland rallied past Kansas City in the fourth game of the series, 7-5, to maintain their lead atop the division heading into the weekend.
The Guardians rebuilt their advantage thanks to taking two of three from the Pirates and the Royals getting swept in Houston. Cleveland helped itself even more in Monday's 4-2 triumph, as center fielder Lane Thomas went deep for the first time this season to give the Guardians the lead for good in the fifth inning.
Tanner Bibee started against the Royals in that 7-5 comeback victory last Wednesday as he looks to turn things around. The Cleveland right-hander allowed three solo home runs, including one to shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., to give Kansas City a 3-0 lead.
Bibee left the game in the sixth inning and was eventually charged with five earned runs before Cleveland stormed back with five unanswered runs for the win. Bibee looks to get on track after yielding 16 hits and nine runs in his past two outings after giving up six runs in his previous five starts.
Pitching away from Progressive Field has actually benefited Bibee, as he owns a 2.81 road ERA compared to a 4.54 home ERA. Back in June, Bibee slowed down the Kansas City offense by allowing two solo homers in six innings of a 7-2 blowout.
Kansas City Royals Betting Preview: Splitting Singer's Starts
The Royals still own the final AL Wild Card spot in spite of their recent struggles, as Kansas City sits 4.5 games ahead of Boston heading into Tuesday's action.
The Royals' offense has hit the skids of late, scoring two runs in each of the past four losses during this six-game slide. Witt has fallen in a 2-of-19 slump the last five games, although both hits were home runs for the AL batting average leader.
Veteran Salvador Perez is 1-of-22 from the plate in the past five losses and first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino is sidelined for the rest of the regular season with a thumb injury.
Brady Singer should be thrilled the calendar has turned to September, as the Royals were 1-4 in the right-hander's five August starts. Singer didn't face the Guardians last week in the road series victory, but he was winless in his last two starts against the Phillies and Astros.
The former Florida Gator standout was knocked around by Philadelphia on August 24 in an 11-2 defeat, giving up a season-high 11 hits, while the Royals' bullpen couldn't hold a late 3-2 lead at Houston in Singer's other start, which resulted in a 6-4 setback last Thursday.
Singer lasted less than four innings in his only start against Cleveland this season (which came opposite Bibee) on June 6. However, the Royals rallied for a 4-3 triumph to cash as +150 underdogs. Kansas City has split Singer's last four starts against Cleveland since the start of 2023.
Guardians vs Royals Prediction, Betting Analysis: Royals Moneyline
Cleveland was in a good spot on Monday with the revenge angle from the previous series loss to Kansas City, along with the Royals returning home after getting swept in Houston. However, with both pitchers not in top form at that moment, the edge now belongs to Singer, who owns nine home starts this season where he's allowed one run or fewer.
Pick: Royals -102 (Play to -115)
Moneyline
Bibee has been better on the road than at home, but it's hard to fade Singer here at this cheap price at Kauffman Stadium, where he has two home underdog wins this season. Cleveland is seeking consecutive road wins for only the second time since the beginning of August.
Run Line (Spread)
Eleven of Kansas City's last 12 wins have come by two runs or more, although it feels like the Royals haven't won in a while. Out of Cleveland's last 13 losses, 11 of them are by at least two runs, while seven of the past eight meetings between these teams have been decided by two runs or more.
Over/Under
The Guardians are on a 3-0 Under run the last three games, while posting a 13-5-1 Under mark in the past 19 road contests. The Royals are in the midst of an 11-3 Over record in the previous 14 home games, even though Kansas City has been held to three runs or fewer in three straight home outings.
Guardians vs. Royals Betting Trends
- 65% of the bets and 81% of the money are on the Guardians to cover the run line.
- 61% of the bets but only 34% of the money are on the on the Guardians' moneyline.
- 73% of the bets and 83% of the money are on the over.
Guardians Betting Trends
- Guardians are 4-1 in their last five games.
- Guardians are 4-1 in their last five games against the spread.
- Guardians are 34-36 in their last road games against the spread.
- The total has gone Over in two of Guardians' last five games.
Royals Betting Trends
- Royals are 0-5 in their last five games.
- Royals are 1-4 in their last five games against the spread.
- The total has gone Over in two of Royals' last five games.
- The total has gone Over in 36 of Royals' 70 last games at home.
Guardians vs Royals Weather
