Minnesota Twins vs Kansas City Royals Preview
Thursday’s forecast in Minneapolis calls for clear skies and temperatures in the mid to upper 50s. First pitch from Target Field is set for 1:10 PM ET. BSN is carrying this one on TV.
The Twins are the slight money line favorite today, as their odds are sitting at -126 compared to the Royals at +106. The over/under line is currently 7.5 runs, and Chris Paddack will be on the mound for the Twins. The Royals are starting Brady Singer, and they are 35-22 compared to the Twins at 30-25.
Check out BetCoco for Minnesota Twins – Kansas City Royals odds
Minnesota Twins Trends and Key Stats
- The Royals are 2-3 in their five most recent road games, including a 3-2 runline record.
- On the opposing side, the Twins have a 2-3 (SU) record, along with a 1-4 record in their last five home contests.
- The Twins have a straight-up record of 5-5 in their last ten games as the favorite, and a 2-8 record vs. the runline.
- Over their previous ten games as the underdog, the Royals have a straight-up record of 6-4 and a 7-3 record vs. the runline.
Thanks to a four-run 3rd inning for the Royals’ offense, they cruised to an easy 6-1 win over the Twins in the most recent game of this series. Heading into the game, the Royals were at +111 on the money line.
The starting pitching matchup for this game featured Seth Lugo for the Royals, and he went six innings while giving up just one run and picked up a win. Bailey Ober got the start for the Twins and went five innings while giving up six runs and took the loss.
Kansas City got a huge performance from Nelson Velazquez, as he went 2/4 with two homers and three RBIs. Both Salvador Perez and Bobby Witt Jr. each drove in two for the Royals’ offense.
Minnesota Twins vs Kansas City Royals Prediction
Kansas City is 35-22 overall and 2.5 games behind the Guardians for the AL Central lead. The Royals are 12-7 against other AL Central teams this year. At home, the Royals have gone 21-8 this year, and they are just above .500 at 14-14 on the road.
As the favorite, the Royals have put together a record of 18-7 this year, and they are 17-15 as the underdog. Kansas City has an overall series record of 10-7 this year and have won three straight series.
When the Royals win, they tend to do so by a wide margin, as their average run differential in victories is +4.1. That has helped them to a 37-20 run line record on the season, including a 22-10 mark as an underdog. Their average run margin overall is +1.4, and they have been particularly good at covering the run line at home, where they are 20-9.
When the Kansas City Royals hit the road to face the Minnesota Twins today, the over/under line is set at 7.5 runs. The Royals have a combined run average of 8.3 runs per game this season, and their over/under record is 23-32. In games with an over/under line of 7.5 runs, the over/under record is 2-7. This season, 75.4% of their games have had higher over/under lines than 7.5 runs, and their current under streak is at two games.
Right-hander Brady Singer is getting the start for the Royals today as he faces the Twins on the road. Through 11 starts, Singer has a record of 4-2 and an ERA of 2.63. He has made four quality starts this year and is coming off an outing in which he didn’t allow an earned run. In that May 25th start vs. the Rays, Singer went five innings, giving up one earned run, and finished with a no-decision. Before that, he had given up at least one homer in three straight starts. Singer’s ERA at home is 2.2, compared to 3.6 on the road.
Salvador Perez has been one of the top power hitters in the league this season, as his 10 homers are 9th in the MLB, and he is also 7th in the league with 41 RBIs. Perez has also been swinging a hot bat of late, as he is currently on a five-game hitting streak and has gone 7/22 in his last five games. Bobby Witt Jr. has also been a key run producer for the Royals, as he is 10th in the league with 37 RBIs and is hitting .307 for the season.
As a team, the Royals are 6th in the league in scoring at 4.8 runs per game. They have been even better at home, averaging 5.5 runs per contest. Overall, they are one of the top home run hitting teams in the league and are batting a collective .252, which is the 6th best mark in the MLB.
Minnesota is 3rd in the AL Central and trails the Guardians by 6.5 games. Overall, the Twins are 30-25, and they are 14-11 against other teams in their division. The Twins have taken two of the first three games of this series vs. the Royals.
At home, the Twins are 15-13 this year, and they are 15-12 on the road. So far, they have been good as the favorite, going 24-13, and they are 6-12 as the underdog. Minnesota has won two straight series and has an overall series record of 9-6-2.
Minnesota’s run line record is 26-29, with a run differential of 0.0 runs per game. The Twins have been a better bet on the road, going 15-12 against the run line, compared to 11-17 at home. As the favorite, the Twins are 17-20 vs. the run line, while they are 9-9 as the underdog. In their wins, Minnesota is outscoring opponents by an average of 3.5 runs per game, while in losses, they are being outscored by 4.1 runs per game.
Minnesota’s over/under record for the season is 24-29, and the over/under line for today’s game is set at 7.5 runs. The Twins’ games have averaged 8.7 runs per game this season, and their average over/under line for the year is 8 runs. In games with a line set at 7.5 runs, the over/under record is 7-7. The over has hit in 60% of their games overall this season. The under has hit in two straight games for the Twins.
Minnesota is starting right-hander Chris Paddack today vs. the Royals, and he comes into the game with a record of 4-2 and an ERA of 4.39. Paddack has made 10 starts this year and has pitched well at home, going 3-1 with a 3.02 ERA. Out of his 10 starts, he has turned in three quality starts and is averaging 8.13 strikeouts per nine innings. Paddack’s last outing came on May 25th vs. the Rangers, where he finished with a no-decision, giving up two earned runs in five innings of work. He has not taken a loss in his last three outings.
Minnesota’s offense is averaging 4.4 runs per game this season, which is 12th in the league. They have been a better offensive team on the road, averaging 5.1 runs per game. The Twins are also one of the top home run hitting teams in the league, coming into the game 10th in the league in homers. As a team, they are batting just .233 this season.
Ryan Jeffers has been the Twins’ top power threat this season, as his 10 home runs are 9th in the league. He also has 33 RBIs, which is 14th in the MLB. Jeffers is hitting .247 this season. Willi Castro has been a solid contributor for the Twins, as he is batting .258 and has four homers. Over his last five games, Jose Miranda is hitting .278 and is currently on a three-game hitting streak.
Getting the Twins at -126 is a great value pick for today’s game. We have them winning by a score of 6-5, and at that line, there is some room for error. Looking at the starting pitchers, Chris Paddack is projected to finish with six strikeouts, and he is a good option to pick up a win.
If you’re looking for a parlay, you could also look to the over/under, and we like the over at 7.5 runs. As for Brady Singer, he is projected to finish with six strikeouts, and the Royals starter is a good option if you’re looking for a fantasy sleeper.
Minnesota Twins vs Kansas City Royals Betting Tips
- Take the Twins on the moneyline
- On the run line we like the Royals (+1.5)
- Projecting a combined 11 runs, we like the over
Minnesota Twins Injury Report
| Player | Status | Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Anthony DeSclafani | Out | Elbow |
| Zack Weiss | Out | Shoulder |
| Brock Stewart | Out | Shoulder |
| Royce Lewis | Out | Quadricep |
| Justin Topa | Out | Knee |
| Daniel Duarte | Out | Elbow |
Kansas City Royals Injury Report
| Player | Status | Injury |
|---|---|---|
| Jordan Lyles | Out | Personal |
| Josh Taylor | Out | Biceps |
| Kyle Wright | Out | Shoulder |
| Kris Bubic | Out | Elbow |
| Michael Massey | Out | Back |
| Vinnie Pasquantino | Questionable | Leg |
