Minnesota Twins vs Kansas City Royals 7/28/2023 Analysis, Game Tips and Picks
As we approach August, the Minnesota Twins currently hold the top position in the AL Central Division in Major League Baseball. On Friday, July 28, 2023, at 8:10 PM ET, they are scheduled to play against the Kansas City Royals at Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium in MO. On the other hand, the Royals find themselves at the bottom of the AL Central Division and currently have the second-worst record in the entire MLB.
In their recent series against the Mariners, the Twins performed impressively, winning six out of the first seven games. However, they stumbled in the final two games of the series, largely due to their pitching staff’s struggles, leading to a total of 17 runs scored by the Mariners. As a result, the Twins’ overall record now stands at 54-50.
Despite their solid performance, the Twins’ once-season-high four-game lead in the division has been reduced to just two games after their most recent game.
In the opening match against the Royals, the Minnesota Twins will rely on veteran right-handed pitcher Sonny Gray. So far this season, Gray has made 20 starts, out of which eight were quality starts, and he holds a 4-4 overall record. Across 111 innings pitched, he has allowed 100 hits, resulting in an impressive ERA of 3.15. His WHIP stands at 1.29, and he maintains a K/9 rate of 8.9.
On the road, Gray has started nine games, with three of them being quality starts, but unfortunately, he has only managed to secure a 1-2 record. During those away games, his WHIP has increased to 1.41, and his K/9 rate has dipped slightly to 8.0. Lately, Gray’s performance has been less than ideal, as he suffered two losses in his last three outings, with a high ERA of 6.62.
Shifting focus to the Twins’ bullpen, they had 95 opportunities to save games, but their cumulative save percentage stands at 53.5%. Throughout the season, the bullpen allowed 110 runners, with 30.9% of them successfully reaching home plate. On 82 occasions, relievers entered the game with runners on base, and also faced 117 high-leverage situations. This year, a total of 307 relievers took the mound for the Twins. The bullpen earned 51 holds, ranking 19th in the league. Additionally, they recorded 23 saves but missed out on 20 save opportunities out of a total of 43 chances.
- The total went OVER in 11 of Minnesota’s last 14 games.
- The Minnesota Twins are 9-4 SU in their last 13 outings.
- The Twins are 9-1 SU in their last 10 matches with the Kansas City Royals.
Minnesota Twins vs Kansas City Royals 7/28/2023 Analysis, Game Tips and Picks
The Kansas City Royals are currently in the midst of a challenging rebuilding phase, which is evident from their struggling performance. In their last eight games, the Royals have faced significant difficulties, losing seven of them, including two consecutive games this week against the Guardians in Cleveland. As a result, they find themselves firmly at the bottom of the AL Central Division, with a disappointing record of 29-75 for the year. Notably, the Royals and the Oakland A’s are tied with the worst record in all of baseball, with just one game separating them.
Taking the mound on Friday night at home for the Royals is right-handed pitcher Brady Singer. Unfortunately, Singer has had a tough season, securing a 6-8 record in 20 games, despite managing six quality starts. His ERA stands at 5.55, and he has given up 124 hits across 108.2 innings of play. His WHIP has risen to 1.47, and his K/9 rate is 7.5. In 12 starts at home, Singer has a more balanced record of 4-4, including three strong performances. During these home games, his ERA is 4.66 after allowing 68 hits in 65.2 innings pitched. However, in a brief encounter against the Twins this season, he struggled immensely, conceding five hits and eight runs in just 2.2 innings of work.
Shifting focus to the Royals’ bullpen, they have had 61 save opportunities this season, resulting in 33 holds and 14 missed saves. In 28 save opportunities, the Royals successfully called upon their relief pitchers to take the mound in crucial moments. The relievers have entered the game 67 times with runners on base and 78 times in high-pressure situations. Throughout the season, a total of 340 bullpen pitchers have been utilized by the Royals, but unfortunately, they rank 27th in baseball with a save percentage of 50.0%.
- The total remained UNDER in 12 of Kansas City’s last 18 outings.
- The Kansas City Royals are 1-7 SU in their last 8 matches.
- The total went OVER in 4 of the Rangers’ last 6 games with the Minnesota Twins.
Minnesota Twins vs Kansas City Royals. The MLB pick for this game is the Minnesota Twins. Taking the fair money line of -155 is highly advisable for this matchup between the top and bottom teams of the AL Central Division. The Twins’ pitcher, Gray, has an impressive track record of 2-0 with a remarkable 0.82 ERA in two previous outings against the Royals. Despite his recent struggles in the last three games, it is expected that he will bounce back and perform well against the struggling Royals, who currently hold the poorest record in baseball.
Although Singer has shown better performance at home this season, his ERA at Kauffman Stadium remains close to five. Additionally, he has only faced the Twins once before, and in that particular game, he was heavily overwhelmed, conceding eight runs in under three innings. Considering this, the odds are in favor of the Twins securing a victory in this matchup against weaker opposition.
In their previous ten encounters, the Twins have dominated, winning nine of those matchups. To maintain their lead in the AL Central, it is crucial for the Twins to come out victorious in series like this against weaker teams. The prediction for Friday night’s game is a convincing victory for Minnesota, with a forecasted score of 7-4 in favor of the Twins.
MLB Starting Time: 8:10 PM ET
Location: Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium, MO
Date: Friday, July 28, 2023
TV: Bally Sports Kansas City
MLB Odds: Minnesota Twins -153
MLB Totals: 10
