The Kansas City Royals and the Boston Red Sox meet Saturday in MLB action from Fenway Park. Here’s a Boston Red Sox vs Kansas City Royals prediction. This will be the second installment in a three-game series. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best bets for the game.
Kansas City Royals Betting Preview
On Wednesday, the Royals took on the St. Louis Cardinals in a doubleheader. Kansas City managed to win both of those matchups, 6-4 and 8-5. In the Friday opener versus the Red Sox, the Royals jumped out to an early 3-0 lead and rolled to a 6-1 win. Starting pitcher Cole Ragans managed 7.0 innings with one earned run and seven strikeouts.
In the starter role for the Royals on Saturday it’ll be Seth Lugo. Over his 19 starts this year Lugo is 11-3 with a 2.21 ERA. Across his 320 career games (83 starts) Lugo is 51-34 with a 3.29 ERA.
Boston Red Sox Betting Preview
Over on the Red Sox’ side, they played the Oakland Athletics in their last set. Boston lost 5-2 in the Wednesday game but otherwise took wins 12-9 and 7-0 for a series victory. On Friday the Sox were out-hit 9-5 and couldn’t score after the second inning. Cooper Criswell posted 6.0 innings in the start with two earned on eight hits and two walks.
Kutter Crawford will take the starter role for the Sox on Saturday. So far this year Crawford is 5-7 with a 3.24 ERA in 18 starts. Crawford is 14-22 with a 4.24 ERA in 71 career games (54 starts).
Red Sox vs Royals Pick Injury Notes
Red Sox RP Chris Martin (elbow) played catch Wednesday for the first time since hitting the IL.
Total Runs Facts
- Eight of the Royals’ last nine day games against AL East opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
- Each of the Red Sox’s last four games after playing the previous day have gone UNDER the total runs line.
- The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Royals’ last eight games as road underdogs.
- The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Red Sox’s last four home games against AL Central opponents.
Boston Red Sox Player Prop Facts
- Tyler O’Neill has recorded at least one total base in each of his seven previous appearances in day games against AL teams that held a winning record.
- Rafael Devers has recorded two RBIs in each of the Red Sox’s last three day games.
- Tyler O’Neill has scored at least one run in six of his seven previous appearances in day games against AL teams that held a winning record.
- Rafael Devers has hit at least one home run in three of the Red Sox’s last four day games against opponents that held a winning record.
- Rafael Devers has recorded at least one Double in three of the Red Sox’s last four games as favorites against the Royals.
- Tyler O’Neill has recorded at least one hit in each of his seven previous appearances in day games against AL teams that held a winning record.
- Connor Wong has recorded at least one Single in each of his last six appearances with the Red Sox as favorites against AL opponents.
Kansas City Royals Player Prop Facts
- Bobby Witt Jr. has scored at least one run in each of the Royals’ last six games against AL East opponents.
- MJ Melendez has hit at least one home run in three of the Royals’ last four road games against the Red Sox.
- Seth Lugo has recorded a win in five of his last six appearances with the Royals as road underdogs.
- Kyle Isbel has recorded a Double in each of his last four appearances against the Red Sox after playing the previous day.
- Bobby Witt Jr. has recorded at least one hit in each of the Royals’ last 14 games against AL East opponents.
- Bobby Witt Jr. has recorded at least one Single in each of the Royals’ last eight games.
- Seth Lugo has recorded eight or more strikeouts in each of his last five appearances in day games.
- Bobby Witt Jr. has recorded two or more total bases in each of the Royals’ last nine games against AL East opponents.
- Vinnie Pasquantino has recorded at least one RBI in each of the Royals’ last eight games against opponents that held a winning record.
Boston Red Sox vs Kansas City Royals Prediction
I’ll stick with the Red Sox. Crawford is pitching well over his last two starts. In that pair he’s 2-0 with just one earned run on seven combined hits and zero walks over 13.0 innings. As for Lugo, he’s doing well himself with 18.0 innings and just two earned over his last three starts. We should have a pretty fun starter matchup here.
On Friday the Red Sox had a pretty quiet night at the plate—outside of Ceddanne Rafaela’s two hits and one RBI. Overall the pitching wasn’t terrible after the first couple of innings, but Boston needs a better effort on both sides Saturday.