Kansas City Royals (25-22) vs St. Louis Cardinals (26-20)
Game Info: Sunday, May 18, 2025 at 2:10 pm (Kauffman Stadium)
The Line: Betting Odds: Kansas City Royals -112 / St. Louis Cardinals -108 — Over/Under: 8.5
The St. Louis Cardinals and Kansas City Royals meet Sunday in MLB action at Kauffman Stadium. Here’s a St. Louis Cardinals vs Kansas City Royals Prediction. This article will include a St. Louis Cardinals vs Kansas City Royals Pick.
St. Louis Cardinals Betting Preview
The St. Louis Cardinals are 26-20 on the year and play the Tigers, Diamondbacks, and Orioles next. The St. Louis Cardinals are batting .261 on the season, have a .334 OBP, and a .403 slugging percentage. The St. Louis Cardinals’ pitching staff has a 3.74 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. Brendan Donovan leads the St. Louis Cardinals with 54 hits and 21 RBI, while Lars Nootbaar and Willson Contreras have combined for 88 hits and 50 RBI.
Matthew Liberatore gets the ball for the St. Louis Cardinals, and he is 3-3 with a 3.11 ERA and 42 strikeouts this season. Liberatore is 1-0 with a 5.79 ERA and 3 strikeouts in his career against the Kansas City Royals.
Kansas City Royals Betting Preview
The Kansas City Royals are 25-22 on the year and play the Giants, Twins, and Reds next. The Kansas City Royals are batting .240 on the season, have a .297 OBP, and a .360 slugging percentage. The Kansas City Royals pitching staff has a 3.11 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP. Bobby Witt Jr. leads the Kansas City Royals with 56 hits and 25 RBI, while Maikel Garcia and Vinnie Pasquantino have combined for 89 hits and 45 RBI.
Michael Wacha gets the ball for the Kansas City Royals, and he is 3-4 with a 2.96 ERA and 37 strikeouts this season. Wacha is 4-0 with a 2.96 ERA and 20 strikeouts in his career against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Why the Kansas City Royals will win
- The Royals have won four of their last five day games following a home loss.
- The Royals have covered the run line in eight of their last nine day games against NL Central opponents.
- The Cardinals have failed to cover the run line in three of their last four day games against AL Central opponents that held a winning record.
Why the St. Louis Cardinals will win
- The Cardinals have won eight of their last nine games as underdogs.
- The Royals have lost seven of their last eight games as home favorites against National League opponents following a loss.
- The Cardinals have covered the run line in each of their last 11 games following a win.
- The Royals have failed to cover the run line in nine of their last 10 home games against National League opponents after playing the previous day.
- The Royals have trailed after 3 innings in three of their last four home games against National League opponents that held a winning record.
- The Royals have trailed after 5 innings in three of their last four home games against National League opponents that held a winning record.
Kansas City Royals Player Prop Facts
- Salvador Perez has hit a home run in three of the Royals’ last six games against NL Central opponents that held a winning record.
- Maikel Garcia has recorded a Double in four of the Royals’ last five games against NL Central opponents at Kauffman Stadium.
- Michael Wacha has recorded a win in each of his four previous appearances against the Cardinals.
- Bobby Witt Jr. has recorded at least one RBI in five of the Royals’ last six day games.
- Michael Wacha has recorded five or more strikeouts in eight of his last nine appearances with his team as a home favorite against NL opponents.
- Bobby Witt Jr. has recorded at least one Single in 10 of his last 11 appearances in day games against NL teams that held a winning record.
- Maikel Garcia has recorded at least one hit in each of his last 12 appearances against NL Central opponents.
- Kyle Isbel has scored at least one run in six of his last seven appearances against the Cardinals.
- Bobby Witt Jr. ranks T4th in the league in Hits (56) this season.
St. Louis Cardinals Player Prop Facts
- Nolan Arenado has hit a home run in six of his last 14 road appearances against the Royals.
- Brendan Donovan has recorded a Double in three of the Cardinals’ last four games at Kauffman Stadium against opponents that held a winning record.
- Lars Nootbaar has recorded at least one RBI in three of the Cardinals’ last four day games.
- Lars Nootbaar has scored at least one run in six of the Cardinals’ last seven games against AL opponents that held a winning record.
- Nolan Arenado has recorded at least one Single in each of his last nine Sunday appearances against teams that held a winning record.
- Nolan Arenado has recorded at least one hit in each of the Cardinals’ last eight day games against AL opponents that held a winning record.
- Brendan Donovan ranks T9th in the league in Hits (54) this season.
St. Louis Cardinals vs Kansas City Royals Prediction
We’ve been on the Cardinals a lot during this winning stretch, and there’s no reason to stop now. The Cardinals have lost once since May 3 and continue to get production across the board. Liberatore has been solid this season, which includes allowing 12 hits and five runs in his last 15.1 innings. The Royals have lost four straight games and have scored just seven runs during that span. Wacha has been strong this season with his 2.96 ERA and 1.20 WHIP, but none of that matters if the Royals can’t string together an offense. Regardless, the Cardinals continue to win and cash tickets. Until that stops, I’m going to keep backing them. Give me the Cards and the cheap price.