Washington Nationals vs Kansas City Royals Preview
The forecast for Wednesday’s matchup between the Royals and Nationals calls for moderate rain in Washington, DC. The over/under line is currently at 8 runs, with the under paying out at -118 compared to -105 for the over.
First pitch from Nationals Park is set for 6:45 PM ET, and MASN will be televising this interleague matchup. The Royals are 83-74, while the Nationals have lost two straight and are 4th in the NL East with a record of 69-88.
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Washington Nationals vs. Kansas City Royals Trends and Key Stats
- The Royals are 3-2 in their five most recent road games, including a 3-2 runline record.
- In the Nationals’ five most recent home games, their record stands at 1-4 (SU) with 2-3 against the spread.
- The Royals have a 5-5 straight-up record in their last ten games as the favorite, and 4-6 against the runline.
- When playing as the underdog, the Nationals have a 5-5 record against the runline and a 6-4 straight-up record in their last ten games.
Thanks to a late rally in the 10th inning, the Royals picked up a 1-0 win over the Nationals in the most recent game of this series. Heading into the game, the Royals were favored at -199 on the money line.
Kansas City got to Nationals starter Mitchell Parker, who gave up five hits and six earned runs in just five innings of work. As for the Royals, Cole Ragans put together a good outing, going six innings and striking out six without giving up a run.
The only run of the game came on a Bobby Witt Jr. RBI single in the 10th. Witt finished the game 2/4 and scored the game’s only run.
Washington Nationals vs Kansas City Royals Prediction
Kansas City is 83-74 overall this season, and they are 7.5 games behind the Guardians in the AL Central. The Royals lead the Tigers by a half-game for the second wild card spot in the AL. So far, they have been good against other teams in the AL Central, going 33-19.
At home, the Royals are 45-36 this season and an even 38-38 on the road. Kansas City has taken the first game of their series vs. the Nationals, and their overall series record is 22-26-2. However, they have dropped two straight series.
The Royals have been a solid bet on the run line this season, going 85-72, including a 42-34 mark on the road. They have been a better bet as the underdog, going 46-32 compared to 39-40 as the favorite. Their average run margin for the season is +0.6 runs per game.
The Kansas City Royals are on the road today against the Washington Nationals. The O/U line for the game is set at 8 runs. The Royals and their opponents have combined to average 8.6 runs per game this season. Overall, the O/U record for Kansas City games this season is 68-84. When the O/U line is set at 8 runs, the Royals have a record of 16-17-3. So far this season, 59.2% of their games have had O/U lines set higher than 8 runs.
Kansas City is sending right-hander Michael Lorenzen to the mound today as he faces the Nationals on the road. So far, Lorenzen has made 23 starts and has a record of 7-6 with an ERA of 3.43. Looking at his overall numbers, Lorenzen has a WHIP of 1.25 and has issued 4.14 walks per nine innings compared to 6.57 strikeouts. Lorenzen has turned in nine quality starts this year and is coming off an outing in which he went just 1 2/3 innings and didn’t give up a run. Before that, he had won two straight starts.
For the season, the Royals are averaging 4.6 runs per game, which is 13th in the league. They have been even better at home, averaging 4.8 runs per game. Overall, they are batting .250 as a team, which is 7th in the league, and have the 2nd fewest strikeouts in the league. Kansas City’s team on-base percentage of .308 is 14th in the league.
Heading into today’s game, Bobby Witt Jr. is on a five-game hitting streak and is batting .335 for the season. He has been even better of late, going 13/35 in his last 10 games with two homers and nine RBIs. Witt Jr. leads the team with 32 homers and 108 RBIs. Salvador Perez is also having a strong season, hitting .271 with 27 homers and 103 RBIs.
Washington is 69-88 overall, and they are 4th in the NL East, trailing the Phillies by 23.5 games. The Nationals lost the first game of this series vs. the Royals and have dropped two straight games overall. In the NL East, they are 23-26 against other teams in the division.
As the underdog, the Nationals are 54-75 this season, and they are 25-31 as the home underdog. Washington’s overall home record is 36-40 compared to a 33-48 mark on the road. So far, they have gone 15-13 as the favorite.
When the Nationals win, they do so by an average of 3.3 runs per game. When they lose, they lose by an average of 3.8 runs per game. Overall, they have a run line record of 87-70, with a run line record of 41-35 at home and 46-35 on the road. They are 13-15 against the run line as the favorite and 74-55 as the underdog.
The Washington Nationals are playing at home today against the Kansas City Royals. The over/under line for the game is set at 8 runs. The Nationals have played 151 games this season, and their games have averaged 8.8 runs per game. Their over/under record for the season is 73-78, and their games have had an average over/under line of 9 runs. When the over/under line has been set at 8 runs, their record is 10-11-1. So far this season, 65.6% of their games have had over/under lines set higher than 8 runs, and their current under streak is at 4 games.
Washington is starting DJ Herz today vs. the Royals, and he comes into the game with a record of 4-8 and an ERA of 4.30. Looking back at his last outing, Herz took the loss, giving up seven earned runs in 3 1/3 innings of work. Before that outing, he had won two straight starts. Herz has made 18 appearances this year and has only turned in two quality starts. His ERA at home is 4.19, compared to 6.24 on the road. Overall, opponents are batting .221 off Herz this season.
Washington’s offense has been one of the worst in the league this season, averaging just 4.1 runs per game, which is 25th in the MLB. They are also near the bottom of the league in home runs and slugging percentage. However, they do have two of the league’s top power hitters in CJ Abrams and Luis Garcia, who have 20 and 16 home runs, respectively. Both players are also at the top of the Nationals’ RBI leaderboard.
Joey Gallo and Jose Tena have been swinging the bat well for the Nationals, with Gallo going 4/12 in his last five games with two homers and Tena going 7/20. Both players have one RBI during that stretch. Lane Thomas and Darren Baker are both on three-game hitting streaks.
Our prediction for this Royals vs. Nationals game is that the Royals will pick up a 6-4 road win. With the Royals being on the road, you can get them on the money line at -121, and this is our recommended bet.
Looking at the starting pitchers, we have Michael Lorenzen finishing with five strikeouts, which is the fifth-lowest among today’s starters. As for the Nationals starter, DJ Herz is projected to finish with six strikeouts, which is 10th best.
Washington Nationals vs Kansas City Royals Betting Tips
- Take the Royals on the moneyline
- The Royals should also cover at -1.5
- Projecting a combined 10 runs, we like the over
Washington Nationals Injury Report
Player | Status | Injury |
---|---|---|
Alex Call | Out | Foot/Ankle |
Mason Thompson | Out | Elbow |
Josiah Gray | Out | Elbow |
Joan Adon | Out | Shoulder/Biceps |
Andrés Chaparro | Out | Personal |
Cade Cavalli | Out | Elbow |
Kansas City Royals Injury Report
Player | Status | Injury |
---|---|---|
Will Smith | Out | Back |
Chris Stratton | Out | Forearm |
Michael Lorenzen | Probable | Hamstring |
Hunter Harvey | Out | Back |
Josh Taylor | Out | Biceps |
Kyle Wright | Out | Shoulder |
Vinnie Pasquantino | Out | Thumb |
James McArthur | Out | Elbow |