Pirates vs Royals Prediction - MLB Picks 8/29/23

Kansas City Royals (41-92) vs Pittsburgh Pirates (59-73)

Game Info: Tuesday, August 29, 2023 at 8:10 pm (Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium)

Cole Ragans (5-4) (3.81) vs Luis Ortiz (2-4) (5.37)

Betting Odds: Kansas City Royals -108 / Pittsburgh Pirates -110 --- Over/Under: Click Here for the Latest Odds

The Kansas City Royals will host the Pittsburgh Pirates for game two of their interleague series this Tuesday from Kauffman Stadium. Pittsburgh came in and shut KC out last night to win by five, 5-0.

Pirates Preview & Projected Starter

Pittsburgh comes in at 59-73 after taking two of three from St. Louis at home. The Pirates got a strong two-way effort to got back into the win column last night, and they’ll attempt to take control of the series here. The Pittsburgh offense is scoring 4.11 runs per game, while batting .235, with a .320 on-base percentage. The pitching staff carries a 4.50 ERA, with a 1.38 WHIP.

Colin Shelby (1-0, 5.91 ERA, 16 Ks) is set to open for Pittsburgh. The rookie Randolph-Macon product has held teams to one run or less in seven of his first nine appearances, and he’ll look to get the Bucs off to a good start here on Tuesday.

Pirates Player Trends & Props

• Bryan Reynolds has doubled in four of the previous six games, and he’s first on the team in hits (120), with splits of .264/18/62.

• Andrew McCutchen produced a run via SAC fly in the game two win, and he’s posting a line of .254/12/39.

• Ke’Bryan Hayes has scored a run in four straight games, and he’s batting .259, with 46 RBI for the season.

• Connor Joe has plated a run in four of the last five games, and he’s batting .255, with 33 runs batted in.

• Jack Suwinski leads the club in home runs (21), with 54 RBI.

Royals Preview & Projected Starter

Kansas City comes in at 41-92 after losing to Pittsburgh. The Royals were silenced in game one, and they’ll now look to avoid a fifth straight loss here on Tuesday. The 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.

Cole Ragans (5-4, 3.66 ERA, 9 Ks) will get the start for Kansas City. The third-year pitcher had a great start in Oakland last time out, striking out eleven over six scoreless frames to earn his second straight win Ragans has come over from the Rangers and carved out a useful role in the Royals rotation, as he’s held clubs to three runs or less all six starts, while clearing eight strikeouts in fourof those.

Royals Player Trends & Props

• Bobby Witt Jr. has recorded a hit in seven of the last nine games, and he leads KC in hits (145), home runs (26) and RBI (81).

• Maikel Garcia has produced a run in four of the last six games, and he leads the Royals in batting (.280), with 43 RBI.

• Salvador Perez is second on the team with 19 homers and 57 RBI.

• MJ Melendez has collected a hit in nine of the previous ten games, and he’s posting splits of .234/12/44.

Corey’s Free Pick

The Royals have reverted back to their old ways this month, but one of the lone bright spots on their pitching staff is set to go here at home, and I think this is a contest they can win at home. Cole Ragans has been great since coming over the Kansas City, and with the bats behind him, a strong outing should result in a victory. Let’s back KC for this interleague matchup.