Kansas City Royals vs Miami Marlins Picks and Predictions June 24th 2024

Royals’ Struggling Offense Faces Crucial Test in Series Opener vs. Marlins

The Kansas City Royals, desperate to revive their faltering offense, are set to host the Miami Marlins in the opener of a crucial three-game series on Monday night. The Royals enter the series facing significant challenges, having gone 22 consecutive innings without scoring a run. Meanwhile, the Marlins look to capitalize on their recent success and maintain their momentum.

Royals’ Offensive Struggles:

The Royals’ offense has been notably absent in their recent outings, failing to score in the last 22 innings. This drought was underscored by consecutive shutouts against the Texas Rangers, with 6-0 and 4-0 losses on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. These defeats marked the first series sweep the Royals have suffered this season.

Paul Hoover, the Royals’ acting manager, acknowledged the team’s frustration. “Obviously, when you’re scuffling a little bit, you want to see anything fall,” Hoover said. “You hit a ball hard and it’s right at somebody, but these guys are working really, really hard.”

Pitching Matchup – Cole Ragans:

To turn their fortunes around, the Royals will send left-hander Cole Ragans to the mound. Ragans has a season record of 4-5 with a 3.13 ERA. Despite being 0-2 in his past five starts, Ragans has maintained a solid 2.70 ERA during that period. In his most recent outing, Ragans allowed two runs and four hits over six innings in a 5-1 loss to the Oakland A’s.

Ragans reflected on his performance, emphasizing the need for better execution. “Just trying to be too perfect at times,” Ragans said. “I’ve got to be better with execution. Get ahead. It changes a lot of things when you get ahead. Puts them on the fence instead of me on the fence, trying to make a good pitch when I’m behind in the count. If I’m ahead, I have free rein with whatever I want to throw.”

Despite recording his 11th quality start of the season, Ragans expressed disappointment with the four walks he issued, two of which led to runs.

Pitching Matchup – Roddery Munoz:

The Marlins will counter with rookie right-hander Roddery Munoz, who will make his seventh major league start. Munoz holds a 1-2 record with a 5.76 ERA. In his last start against the St. Louis Cardinals, Munoz struggled, allowing seven runs (six earned) and eight hits in four innings. Despite these challenges, Munoz remains optimistic and focused on improvement.

“You’re constantly competing to stay on a team to win a spot in the rotation. It’s part of the job,” Munoz said via a translator. “At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter which lineup you’re going to face. You have to go out there and compete and do the best you can.”

Miami manager Skip Schumaker has praised Munoz’s lively arm and potential. “We decided to get him more on the plate and not work the edges so much and then when he gets ahead, kind of expand from there,” Schumaker said. “Roddery is a guy who can outstuff guys at times. He’s growing and he’s going to be a good one if he keeps working the way he is.”

Marlins’ Recent Performance:

The Marlins have been on a strong run, winning four of their last five games, including a 6-4 victory over the Seattle Mariners. A key strength for the Marlins has been their ability to score early, ranking among the top five in the National League for first-inning runs. Nick Gordon’s three-run homer in the first inning of their latest game is a testament to this prowess.

“I think it’s just having good at-bats,” Gordon said. “Guys coming out, ready to play and good things happening in the first inning.”

Conclusion:
The series opener between the Kansas City Royals and the Miami Marlins is poised to be a pivotal game for both teams. The Royals will look to break their scoring drought and support their reliable starter, Cole Ragans. Meanwhile, the Marlins aim to continue their strong performance and give their rookie pitcher, Roddery Munoz, the confidence he needs to excel. This matchup is a critical opportunity for the Royals to rebound and for the Marlins to maintain their momentum.

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