Twins vs Royals Prediction - MLB Picks 7/30/23

Kansas City Royals (31-75) vs Minnesota Twins (54-52)

Game Info: Sunday, July 30, 2023 at 2:10 pm (Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium)

Ryan Yarbrough (3-4) (4.70) vs Kenta Maeda (2-5) (4.62)

Betting Odds: Kansas City Royals +145 / Minnesota Twins -185 --- Over/Under: 8.5 Click Here for the Latest Odds

The Kansas City Royals will host the Minnesota Twins for game two of their divisional series this Saturday from Kauffman Stadium. KC struck again in game two with consistent production to win by three, 10-7.

Twins Preview & Projected Starter

Minnesota moved to 54-52 after losing to Kansas City. The Twins were outplayed again by the division’s worst team, and there’s a real chance they drop a fifth straight game here, despite scoring five or more runs in their last four contests. Rocco Baldelli’s ballclub is currently clinging to an AL Central lead, and they hold a two game lead over Cleveland. The Minnesota offense is scoring 3.47 runs per game, while batting .237, with a .315 on-base percentage. The pitching staff carries a 3.58 ERA, with a 1.18 WHIP.

Kenta Maeda (2-5, 4.62 ERA, 58 Ks) will start for Minnesota. The seventh-year righty pitched well against Seattle last time out, striking out eight in 6.1 innings, while holding them to just one run. Maeda has been pretty good this month, and if he received any form of run support he would have been rewarded for both gems versus the Mariners. Maeda has allowed two runs or less in three of four July starts, and he’s cleared eight strikeouts in each of them. Maeda opened the month with a seven-inning, nine strikeout performance versus KC, and he’ll look for similar success here.

Twins Player Trends & Props

• Carlos Correa has collected a hit in six of the last seven games, and he leads the Twins in hits (84) and RBI (45), with twelve home runs.

Production outside of Correa has been very inconsistent, as the Twins have struggled at the plate and been hit by the injury bug.

• Longtime Twin Max Kepler provided a double and home run in last night’s loss, and he’s up to fifteen homers and 39 RBI for the season.

• Alex Kirilloff snapped a minor hitless streak by reaching base last night, and he’s Minnesota’s leading batter at .270, and he’s totaled 32 RBI.

• Byron Buxton and Joey Gallo are both tied for the team-lead in home runs at 17, but they’ve offered nothing more, as they both bat below .200.

Royals Preview & Projected Starter

Kansas City comes in at 31-75 after defeating Minnesota. The Royals took another one from the Twins last night, and they’ll look to bring the brooms out Sunday. Matt Quataro’s squad rests in the cellar of the AL Central, as 2023 has been a year of rebuilding the core. Kansas City offense is scoring 3.62 runs per game, while batting .233, with a .293 on-base percentage. The pitching staff carries a 5.25 ERA, with a 1.43 WHIP.

Ryan Yarbrough (3-5, 4.70 ERA, 24 Ks) will get the call for Kansas City. The sixth-year lefty picked up his second victory in Cleveland this month after pitching an identical six innings of one-run ball last time out. Yarbrough has been reliable through three starts since returning at the start of July, and he’ll look to keep his success in division play going Sunday.

Royals Player Trends & Props

• Bobby Witt Jr. went off for four hits again in the game two win, and after homering in both matchups and producing nine runs, he leads KC in hits (111), homers (18) and RBI (60).

• Maikel Garcia has collected a hit in eight of the previous nine games, and he leads the Royals in batting (.272), with 32 RBI.

• Salvador Perez had multiple hits in last night’s victory, and he’s second on the team with 17 homers and 43 RBI.

• MJ Melendez has collected a hit in eight of his last ten games, and he’s totaled 35 RBI for the season.

Corey’s Free Pick

A fifth-place Kansas City team sweeping the division leading Twins would really sum up the direction of the AL Central. The winner of this division will likely finish with a record that would be good for last in the AL East, and I’m honestly not convinced that Minnesota is the best team in it, or that they avoid this sweep here. They will have the revenge aspect and a solid Kenta Maeda going, but not much else about this squad is trustworthy. I like backing the Over to clear for the third straight time in this divisional series finale.