Pittsburgh Pirates (70-76) vs Kansas City Royals (80-67)
Game Info: Saturday, September 14, 2024 at 1:05 pm (PNC Park)
The Line: Betting Odds: Pittsburgh Pirates -120 / Kansas City Royals +102 — Over/Under:
The Kansas City Royals and the Pittsburgh Pirates meet Saturday in MLB action from PNC Park. Here’s a Kansas City Royals vs Pittsburgh Pirates prediction. This will be the second installment in a three-game series. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best Royals vs Pirates pick. We will examine:
The Kansas City Royals recent form and player performance
The Pittsburgh Pirates recent form and player performance
Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Kansas City Royals
Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Pittsburgh Pirates
Recent betting trends in games played between the Royals and Pirates
A summary that ties it all together and produces a favorable betting outcome for the Royals vs Pirates game
Kansas City Royals Betting Preview
The Royals took on the New York Yankees in their last series. Kansas City split the first pair before a 4-3 loss Wednesday. In the Friday game versus Pittsburgh, the Royals scored six runs in the second inning during an 8-3 win. Alec Marsh finished with 5.1 innings, one earned and 11 Ks.
In the starter slot for Saturday the Royals are going with Michael Wacha. He’s 12-7 with a 3.34 ERA in 26 starts this year. Wacha is 100-61 with a 3.90 ERA in 275 career games (254 starts).
Pittsburgh Pirates Betting Preview
Over on the Pirates’ side, they took on the Miami Marlins in their last series. Pittsburgh swept that set 3-2, 6-4 and 3-1. On Friday the Pirates showed some late life but couldn’t dig out of the sizable hole. Starter Luis Ortiz put up 4.0 innings and four earned runs.
It’ll be Mitch Keller in the start for the Pirates on Saturday. This year Keller is 11-9 with a 3.85 ERA in 28 starts. Keller is 36-47 with a 4.50 ERA in 130 career games (128 starts).
Total Runs Facts
- Five of the Royals’ last six games against National League opponents have gone OVER the total runs line.
- Thirteen of the Pirates’ last 17 home games after playing the previous day have gone OVER the total runs line.
- The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Royals’ last three road games.
Pittsburgh Pirates Player Prop Facts
- Yasmani Grandal has hit a home run in two of his last three appearances against AL opponents that held a winning record.
- Oneil Cruz has recorded a Double in four of the Pirates’ last five home games against opponents that held a winning record.
- Mitch Keller has recorded a win in three of his last four appearances against AL Central opponents that held a winning record.
- Oneil Cruz has recorded an RBI in each of his last five home appearances.
- Yasmani Grandal has scored a run in seven of his last eight home appearances.
- Mitch Keller has recorded seven or more strikeouts in each of his last four appearances against AL Central opponents that held a winning record.
- Bryan Reynolds has recorded two or more total bases in each of the Pirates’ last 11 games at PNC Park against AL Central opponents that held a winning record.
- Isiah Kiner-Falefa has recorded at least one Single in eight of his last nine appearances against AL Central opponents.
- Bryan Reynolds has recorded at least one hit in each of the Pirates’ last 12 games at PNC Park against AL Central opponents that held a winning record.
Kansas City Royals Player Prop Facts
- Bobby Witt Jr. has hit a home run in four of the Royals’ last six day games.
- Tommy Pham has recorded a Double in three of his last four appearances against NL Central opponents at PNC Park.
- Michael Wacha has recorded a win in five of his last six appearances against NL Central opponents.
- Salvador Perez has recorded at least one RBI in each of the Royals’ last six road games against NL Central opponents.
- Tommy Pham has scored at least one run in each of his last four appearances against the Pirates.
- Michael Wacha has recorded five or more strikeouts in five of his last six road appearances against opponents that held a losing record.
- Vinnie Pasquantino has recorded at least one hit in each of his last 13 road appearances against opponents that held a losing record.
- Vinnie Pasquantino has recorded at least one total base in each of his last 13 road appearances against opponents that held a losing record.
- Vinnie Pasquantino has recorded at least one Single in each of his last six road appearances against opponents that held a losing record.
Kansas City Royals vs Pittsburgh Pirates Prediction
I might take a stab on the Pirates here. Keller hasn’t pitched terribly over his last two starts, despite going 0-1 in that pair. Keller notched 11.1 total innings with five earned on 18 hits and zero walks in those two. If he can keep things under control for six innings or so Pittsburgh will be in good shape.
On Friday the Pirates scored a couple of runs in the ninth but they were so far behind that it made little difference. Overall the Pittsburgh pen was pretty decent on 5.0 innings, three hits, one walk and one earned. That said, the bats were quiet for much of the game. The Pirates need a better effort on both sides Saturday.