From Minute Maid Park in Houston, we have an AL matchup between the Royals and Astros. First pitch for this one is set for 2:10 PM ET. The Astros are the heavy favorites on the money line, with their odds sitting at -163 compared to the Royals at +138. The over/under line is currently at 9 runs.
Kansas City will be looking to snap a four-game losing streak, as they are 75-62 and in 2nd place in the AL Central. The Astros are 1st in the AL West with a record of 74-62 and are currently on a four-game winning streak. Sunday's starting pitching matchup features Alec Marsh for the Royals and Ronel Blanco for the Astros.
Kansas City vs. Houston Matchup At A Glance
- Teams: Royals at Astros
- Where: Minute Maid Park Houston
- Date: Sunday, September 1st
- Betting Odds HOU -163 | KC +138 O/U 9
Royals vs Astros Last Game Recap
Houston cruised to a 5-2 win over the Royals in the most recent game of this series. The Astros had a huge 6th inning, scoring five of their seven runs. As for the Royals, they scored their only two runs in the 7th. Heading into the game, the Astros were favored at -128 on the money line.
Yusei Kikuchi started for the Astros and picked up the win, going seven innings and giving up just one run. He finished the game with 12 strikeouts but did not issue a walk. On the other side, Cole Ragans got the start for the Royals and took the loss, giving up five earned runs in five innings of work.
Jeremy Pena and Yainer Diaz each had two RBIs for the Astros' offense. Pena, Bobby Witt Jr., and MJ Melendez each homered for their respective teams.
Royals Preview
After dropping four straight games, the Royals are looking to get back on track as they face the Astros today. Kansas City's overall series record is 20-21-2, and they have won two straight series on the road. Against the run line, they have a 76-61 record and are 41-28 as underdogs.
This season, the Royals have an over/under record of 14-13-1 when the total line is set at 9 runs. Their games have averaged 8.9 runs per game, and their straight-up record is 75-62, putting them 2.5 games behind the Guardians in the AL Central.
Right-hander Alec Marsh is starting for the Royals today as he faces the Astros on the road. He has made 20 starts this season and has a record of 7-7 with an ERA of 4.67. Marsh's WHIP for the season is currently 1.25. Looking at his overall numbers, Marsh has turned in five quality starts and is averaging 8.07 strikeouts per nine innings. In his last outing, Marsh finished with a no-decision, giving up two earned runs in 4 2/3 innings of work. He has not allowed more than two earned runs in any of his last three outings.
So far this season, the Royals are averaging 4.8 runs per game, which is 7th in the league. They have been even better at home, putting up 5.2 runs per contest. Overall, they are the 4th best hitting team in the league, with a team batting average of .256. One thing to watch is that they are 2nd in the league in strikeouts and have not been a very patient team at the plate.
Over his last eight games, Bobby Witt Jr. has four home runs while going 8/31. For the season, he is batting .341 with a team-high 29 homers. Salvador Perez is also having a strong season, with a batting average of .277 and 25 homers. Vinnie Pasquantino has been a great run producer, as his 97 RBIs is 4th in the league.
Astros Preview
At home, the Astros have a 35-24 record as the favorite, and their overall home record is 38-29. Houston's series record this season is 23-18-2. Overall, they have a run line record of 70-66, and they have been favored in 99 games, going 45-54 in those contests. As the underdog, they are 25-12 in 37 games.
With a 74-62 record, the Astros lead the AL West by five games over the Mariners. They have won four straight games and are 6-4 in their last 10. Houston's games this season have averaged 8.5 runs, and their over/under record is 53-78. The under has hit in two straight games, and only 13.2% of their games have had a total line of 9 runs.
Ronel Blanco is looking to pick up a win for the Astros today as he faces the Royals at home. So far this season, he has made 25 starts and has a record of 9-6 with an ERA of 3.14. Blanco's WHIP for the season is currently 1.08. In his 25 appearances, Blanco has one complete game shutout and 12 quality starts. He most recently pitched on August 26th, where he went 5 2/3 innings, giving up two earned runs, and finished with a no decision. Blanco has finished with a no decision in each of his last three outings.
Yordan Alvarez has been on a tear of late for the Astros, going 9/19 in his last five games with three homers and four RBIs. For the season, he is batting .312 with 28 homers, which is 8th in the league. Yainer Diaz has also been a big power threat for the Astros, as he is batting .298 with a team-high 74 RBIs and 16 homers.
As a team, the Astros are 2nd in the league in batting average at .261 and are averaging 4.6 runs per game. They have been even better at home, averaging 4.7 runs per contest. Overall, they are 11th in home runs and have the league's 11th best slugging percentage.
Royals vs. Astros Prediction: Royals ML +138
With the Royals coming in at +138 on the money line, we really like their chances to pick up a win over the Astros. Our predicted final score is 6-5 in favor of the Royals, giving you a good payout with them on the money line.
Looking at the starting pitchers, Alec Marsh is projected to finish with five strikeouts, and we have Ronel Blanco finishing with five as well. However, Blanco is projected to go just five innings, while Marsh is projected to go six.
