Cincinnati Reds vs Kansas City Royals Picks and Predictions August 17th 2024

At 6:40 PM ET, the Reds and Royals face off in an interleague matchup. This one is taking place at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, and the Reds are favored on the money line, with their odds sitting at -129 compared to the Royals at +109. The over/under line is currently 9.5 runs.

Kansas City will be looking to keep their two-game winning streak alive, as they are 67-55 and 3rd in the AL Central. The Reds are 3rd in the NL Central with a record of 60-62. Michael Wacha is starting for the Royals, and he is facing off against Nick Lodolo. BSKC is carrying this game on TV.

Kansas City vs. Cincinnati Key Information

Kansas City is sending Michael Wacha to the mound today vs. the Reds, and he comes in with a record of 9-6 and an ERA of 3.50. Wacha has made 21 starts this year and has pitched well on the road, coming in with a record of 4-5 and an ERA of 3.87. In his last outing, he gave up two earned runs in seven innings of work, picking up the win vs. the Cardinals. Wacha has allowed two earned runs in three straight outings. This year, opponents are batting .242 vs. Wacha.

Heading into today’s game, the Royals are averaging 4.8 runs per game, which is 10th in the league. At home, they have been even better, putting up 5.3 runs per contest. Overall, they are batting .255 as a team, and their team on-base percentage of .311 is 12th in the league. Kansas City has been one of the tougher teams to strike out this season and are 8th in the league in slugging.

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Bobby Witt Jr. has been one of the league’s top hitters this season, batting .352 with 25 homers and 90 RBIs. Over his last 10 games, he has gone 17/40 with five homers and 11 RBIs. Salvador Perez is also having a strong season at the plate, with a batting average of .278 and 22 homers.

Cincinnati is sending Nick Lodolo to the mound today vs. the Royals, and he is coming off a start in which he didn’t give up a run. Against the Marlins on August 6th, he went six innings, giving up two earned runs and picking up the win. Lodolo has made 19 starts this season and has a record of 9-4. His ERA is 3.99, along with a WHIP of 1.14. Looking at his overall numbers, Lodolo has a batting average allowed of .217 and has issued just 2.66 walks per nine innings. Out of his 19 starts, he has turned in eight quality starts.

Elly De La Cruz has been a solid run producer for the Reds this season, as his 52 RBIs are 3rd on the team, and he is also leading the team with 21 homers. De La Cruz is batting .261 for the season and has an OBP of .344. Spencer Steer is also near the top of the Reds’ home run leaderboard, as he has 18 homers and is batting .234 for the season.

Over his last five games, Spencer Steer has gone 4/14 with two homers and seven RBIs. Tyler Stephenson and Nick Martini are both on three-game hitting streaks, with Stephenson having gone 6/20 in his last five games and Martini going 2/5 in his last five games.

For an over/under pick, our lean is on the under, as we have this as the 6th lowest-scoring game of today’s slate. As for who is going to take this one straight up, we have our lean on the Royals to pick up the win. Kansas City comes into this one with our 4th highest projected hits total and 7th highest runs scored projection. On the other side, Nick Lodolo has the 7th worst innings pitched projection among today’s starters.

Reds Look to Contain Red-Hot Bobby Witt Jr. and Even Series with Royals

The Cincinnati Reds face an overwhelming test as they attempt to chill perhaps of baseball’s most sultry hitter, Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., in the second round of their three-game series on Saturday. Witt, who has been on a tear the entire season, proceeded with his singing presentation on Friday, assisting the Royals with getting a 7-1 triumph in the series opener.

Bobby Witt Jr.: The Real Deal

Bobby Witt Jr. has been downright stupendous this season, and his exhibition on Friday simply added to his developing legend. Witt gathered three hits, falling only a triple short of the cycle, and shot his 25th homer of the time. His presentation has been prevailing to the point that his colleague Michael Lorenzen basically depicted him as “the real deal.”

Witt’s commitments on Friday additionally carved his name into the Royals’ set of experiences books. He turned out to be only the third player in establishment history to keep 25 homers and 25 taken bases in sequential seasons, joining legends Bo Jackson and Carlos Beltran. This accomplishment highlights Witt’s novel blend of force and speed, making him quite possibly of the most powerful player in the game today.

Despite the presence of other top performers like Aaron Judge, Witt’s numbers place him squarely in the conversation for American League MVP. He leads the majors in batting average (.352), runs (105), and hits (171), and ranks among the top three in RBIs (90) and OPS (1.021). Since June 30, Witt has been particularly unstoppable, batting .456 with 13 home runs and a 1.337 OPS.

Witt’s approach to the game remains simple and focused. “Just attacking the pitcher and enjoying it … Taking it pitch by pitch, day by day, and trusting our process,” Witt said, reflecting on his mindset during this remarkable stretch.

Reds’ Pitching Plans

The Reds will attempt to slow down Witt and the Royals on Saturday by sending left-hander Nick Lodolo to the mound. Lodolo (9-4, 3.99 ERA) has had a solid season, but he will face the Royals for the first time in his career. In his last outing, Lodolo allowed three runs on three hits and three walks over 5 1/3 innings against the Milwaukee Brewers. The Reds managed to win that game 4-3, which was the start of a four-game winning streak that came to an end with Friday’s loss to Kansas City.

The Reds will require areas of strength for a from Lodolo to save them in the chase after the National League’s last wild-card spot, as they right now sit four games back. Notwithstanding, the group might be lacking in warm up area help after reliever Fernando Cruz battled in Friday’s down. Cruz pitched a scoreless eighth inning prior to wavering in the 10th, permitting four runs and raising his ERA to 5.47. His new battles have been a worry for the Reds, as he has posted a 10.38 ERA over his last 18 outings.

“Fernando just has to continue to work,” Reds manager David Bell said. “He’s had some really good signs the last few times out, and again, the (eighth) inning was excellent. Just a tough inning (in the ninth).”

Cincinnati’s Offensive Struggles

The Reds’ offense has also been inconsistent, managing just four hits in Friday’s loss. However, there was a bright spot as Jonathan India broke out of a prolonged slump. India, who had snapped an 0-for-23 skid on Wednesday, went 1-for-2 with two walks and a run scored on Friday. Over his last two games, India is 4-for-7 with two home runs and four RBIs, showing signs of returning to form.

Royals Rely on Wacha

The Royals will counter on Saturday with veteran right-hander Michael Wacha. Wacha (9-6, 3.50 ERA) has been a reliable force in Kansas City’s rotation, and he boasts an impressive track record against the Reds. Over his 12-year career, Wacha has gone 13-3 with a 2.54 ERA in 26 appearances (22 starts) against Cincinnati.

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Wacha has been especially sharp in ongoing excursions, permitting three procured runs or less in every one of his last 14 beginnings. In his latest beginning, he held the St. Louis Cardinals to two runs more than seven innings in a success that proceeded with the Royals’ flood toward a potential season finisher compartment. Kansas City right now sits 2 1/2 games in front of the Boston Red Sox for the AL’s last wild-card spot.

Conclusion: Reds Face Uphill Battle

As the Reds hope to even the series on Saturday, they’ll have to figure out how to contain Bobby Witt Jr., whose uncommon season has filled the Royals’ season finisher push. With Scratch Lodolo on the hill and Jonathan India warming up at the plate, Cincinnati has the pieces to contend, yet they’ll have to execute impeccably against a Royals group that is terminating on all cylinders. In the mean time, Kansas City will depend on Michael Wacha’s insight and proceeded with strength to tie down one more triumph and inch nearer to hardening their postseason position.