The Kansas City Royals will do battle against the Seattle Mariners at Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium. The game gets underway 2:15 p.m. ET and Fox Sports Kansas City will televise this AL matchup.
Seattle Mariners vs. Kansas City Royals Odds
Seattle (-125) is favored over Kansas City (+115) and oddsmakers have put the Over/Under for this one at 7.5 runs. The odds for betting on the game’s total sit at +100 for the under and -120 for the over. Gamblers can also wager on the game’s spread with the runline odds coming in at Mariners -1.5 runs (+120) and Royals 1.5 runs (-140).
The Mariners are 5-4 SU and have gone 5-3 against the spread (ATS). They’ve gained 1.1 units for bettors taking the moneyline over the early portions of the season and 1.3 units ATS. The Royals are 3-6 SU and 5-3 ATS. The team has lost 1.1 units for bettors taking the moneyline while earning 0.8 units ATS.
Kansas City games have had an over/under record of 2-6 thus far in 2018. Mariners games have gone over six times, gone under two times and pushed on zero occasions.
The Mariners have gained 1.1 units and are 1-0 ATS when facing a left-handed starting pitcher this season. The over has hit in one of those games, compared to zero that’ve hit the under in such games. On the other hand, theRoyals have netted 1.0 units and are 2-1 ATS when facing a left-handed starting pitcher. The over’s hit in one of those games, as opposed to two which went under the total.
James Paxton (0-1, 7.45 ERA) will get the start for the visiting Mariners. The left-handed Paxton recorded 156 strikeouts over 136 innings last year with only 37 walks while finishing the season 12-5 overall with a 2.98 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP.
The Royals have tabbed lefty Danny Duffy (0-2, 7.45 ERA) as their starter. Duffy started 24 games last year and finished the season 9-10 overall with a 3.81 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. He made two starts against Seattle a year ago and registered a 1-1 record with a 3.97 ERA and 12 strikeouts.
As a unit, Kansas City’s pitching staff has given up 4.2 runs per game overall this season. The club’s starters have an ERA of 3.33, a WHIP of 1.07 and a strikeouts-per-nine of 6.8. The bullpen has a 6.00 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 6.3 K/9.
Kansas City’s offense has put up 3.2 runs per outing, including 3.4 per game over its last five. The team has hit .245/.317/.368 over its last five matchups and is 2-3 SU during that span.
The Royals’ batters have been led by third baseman Mike Moustakas and left fielder Jon Jay. Moustakas is slashing .306/.342/.583 with 11 hits, eight RBIs and six runs scored, and Jay is batting .273 with nine hits, one RBI and five runs scored.
Moustakas seemed to have some trouble hitting lefties at home last season. In 84 such plate appearances, he slashed .241/.274/.405 (his overall season line was .271/.313/.519).
In the visiting dugout, Seattle’s pitchers have allowed 5.1 runs per game and its starting pitchers own a 5.96 ERA, 1.48 WHIP and 5.76 K/9. The bullpen has an ERA of 4.41, along with a WHIP of 1.48.
Mariners hitters have slashed .258/.337/.401 on their way to 4.4 runs scored per game in 2018, including over the team’s last five outings (2-3 SU).
Second baseman Robinson Cano and shortstop Jean Segura have led Seattle’s offense. Cano is slashing .414/.541/.552 with 12 hits, four RBIs and nine runs scored, while Segura (.368/.415/.526) is up to 14 hits, four RBIs and eight runs scored.
Cano didn’t seem to enjoy hitting against left-handed pitchers on the road last year, putting up a slash line of .220/.278/.305 across 90 such plate appearances (his total season line was .280/.338/.453).
Seattle Mariners at Kansas City Royals MLB Pick
Predictions: SU Winner – Mariners, ATS Winner – Mariners, O/U – OVER
Betting Trends
- The Royals went 5-2 SU against the Mariners in 2017.
- The Mariners’ bullpen managed 3.52 ERA against the Royals last year.
