Kansas City Royals vs St. Louis Cardinals Picks and Predictions August 9th 2024

From Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, we have the Cardinals and Royals facing off in an interleague matchup. First pitch for this one is set for 8:10 PM ET, and the forecast calls for cloudy skies with temperatures in the mid-70s.

St. Louis is 59-57 and they are 2nd in the NL Central, while the Royals are 3rd in the AL Central with a record of 64-52. Michael Lorenzen is starting for the Royals, and he is facing off against Miles Mikolas for the Cardinals. Kansas City is the slight favorite on the money line, with their odds sitting at -117 compared to the Cardinals at -101. The over/under line is at 9 runs.

St. Louis vs. Kansas City Key Information

Right-hander Miles Mikolas is starting for the Cardinals today as he faces the Royals on the road. This year, he has made 23 starts and has a record of 8-9 with an ERA of 5.12. Looking at his overall numbers, Mikolas has a WHIP of 1.27 and has given up a total of 18 home runs. In his 23 starts, he has turned in 13 quality starts. Mikolas’ most recent outing came against the Cubs, where he took the loss, giving up four earned runs in four innings of work. Before that, he had won two straight starts.

Heading into today’s game, the Cardinals are averaging 4.1 runs per game, which is 24th in the league. They have been a little better at home, averaging 4.3 runs per game. As a team, they are batting .246, which is 10th in the league, but their on-base percentage and slugging percentage are both in the bottom half of the league. St. Louis has two players with 19 homers this season, with Alec Burleson leading the team with 66 RBIs.

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Over his last six games, Alec Burleson has gone 5/24 with a home run and three RBIs. For the season, he is batting .274 with a team-high 66 RBIs. Masyn Winn comes into the game on a five-game hitting streak and has gone 6/23 over his last six games. During this stretch, he has one home run and two RBIs.

Right-hander Michael Lorenzen gets the start for the Royals today as he faces the Cardinals at home. He has made 19 starts this year and has a record of 5-6 with an ERA of 3.69. Looking at his overall numbers, Lorenzen has a WHIP of 1.28 and has issued 4.19 walks per nine innings compared to 6.71 strikeouts. Lorenzen’s last outing came against the Tigers, where he went 5 2/3 innings, giving up one earned run on five hits. He finished with a no-decision in that outing. Before that, he had given up at least four earned runs in three straight starts.

Currently, the Royals are 10th in the league in scoring, averaging 4.8 runs per game. They have been even better at home, putting up 5.2 runs per contest. Overall, they are one of the top home run hitting teams in the league and have the 7th best team batting average in the league. As a team, the Royals are the 2nd toughest team to strike out in the league.

Bobby Witt Jr. has been one of the league’s top hitters this season, batting .349 with 22 home runs and 84 RBIs. He is also on a four-game hitting streak. Witt Jr. is also 1st on the team in RBIs, with Vinnie Pasquantino, who is also on a long hitting streak, batting .270 with 17 homers.

For a money-line pick in this matchup between the Cardinals and Royals, we are leaning toward the Royals to come out on top at home. We also like the over, as this is projected to be the 6th highest-scoring game of the day. Kansas City starter Michael Lorenzen doesn’t figure to put up big strikeout numbers, but he is 5th in our projections in innings pitched. On the other side, Miles Mikolas has the 3rd worst strikeout projection among today’s starters.

Royals Aim to Extend Homer Streak in Series Opener Against Cardinals

The Kansas City Royals are set to proceed with their power flood as they open a two-game set against the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday, restoring the I-70 Series. The Royals have been on a tear, homering in 13 sequential games, a feat that has added to their 8-5 record over that stretch. This long-ball streak is tied for the second longest in franchise history, just two games short of the record set in April 2001.

Royals’ New Achievement and Playoff Push

The Royals end up in the main part of the playoff race, as of now holding the final American League trump card spot. They are four games behind the AL Central-leading Cleveland Guardians and trail the Minnesota Twins by just a half-game. With the postseason in sight, Kansas City is hoping to maintain its energy, controlled by a setup that has been consistently conveying home runs.

One of the central participants driving this achievement is Bobby Witt Jr., who has been on an absolute tear. Witt conveyed a standout performance in Kansas City’s 8-4 triumph over the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday, belting two home runs and driving in four RBIs. The 24-year-old has been a power all season, leading the majors with a .349 batting average, finishing off the Royals with 22 home runs, and tying for the team lead with 84 RBIs.

Witt’s impact has not slipped through the cracks by fans, who serenaded him with “MVP” chants following his latest performance. Pondering the help, Witt said:

“(The fans) are appearing. We’ve just got to continue doing our thing.” His teammates also perceive his value, with outfielder MJ Melendez stating, “If you were to ask me, I think he is the MVP. What he has done is amazing. You know, what he has accomplished for this team and this organization, you can’t really articulate.”

Witt has continued to haunt the Cardinals this season, going 3-for-8 with two runs scored in a doubleheader sweep on July 10. Salvador Perez also played a pivotal role in that series, homering in both games and maintaining a hot streak by going 11-for-30 (.367) in his past eight games.

Royals’ Pitching Outlook: Lorenzen Takes the Mound

On the hill for the Royals will be correct hander Michael Lorenzen, who has been strong since joining Kansas City at the trade deadline. Lorenzen, who was acquired from the Texas Rangers, had a strong first excursion for the Royals, allowing just one sudden spike in demand for five hits more than 5 2/3 innings against the Detroit Tigers. Although he didn’t factor into the choice, Lorenzen showed why he could be a valuable asset as the Royals push for the playoffs.

Lorenzen, 32, has a decent track record against the Cardinals, boasting a 4-3 record with a 2.22 ERA in 35 career appearances (two starts) against St. Louis. His ability to hold the Cardinals’ bats in line will be crucial as the Royals hope to broaden their triumphant ways.

Cardinals Seeking to Rebound

The St. Louis Cardinals, meanwhile, are coming off a 6-4 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday, which prevented them from completing a three-game series sweep. Despite the setback, the Cardinals remain in the hunt for a postseason spot, sitting 2 1/2 games out of the final National League wild-card position.

Nolan Arenado has been one of the bright spots for the Cardinals, continuing to swing a hot bat. In the series finale against Tampa Bay, Arenado collected three hits, including an RBI single, and he has been on a tear over his past 10 games, going 15-for-38 (.395) with six RBIs and six runs scored. Arenado also homered in the first game of the July 10 doubleheader against the Royals, adding to his impressive recent run.

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Mikolas Takes the Ball for Cardinals

Right-hander Miles Mikolas will get the start for the Cardinals, hoping to return from an intense trip against the Chicago Offspring on Sunday. Mikolas allowed four runs on eight hits and a balk in just four or more innings, leading to a 6-2 misfortune. Notwithstanding this, Mikolas has a strong history against the Royals, having tossed 17 scoreless innings in two career starts against Kansas City, with 19 strikeouts and just two walks.

Mikolas understands the importance of each and every game as the Cardinals chase a playoff billet.

“You know, assuming we will get (to the playoffs), we must beat those teams, and we must beat them now,” Mikolas said. “We must show different teams and show ourselves that we’re a playoff team. We must emerge and really keep these teams on their toes.”

A Pivotal Matchup in the I-70 Series

As the Royals and Cardinals reestablish their rivalry, the two teams have much at stake. For the Royals, maintaining their home run streak and getting wins is vital as they battle to clutch their trump card spot. For the Cardinals, each game is crucial as they hope to close the gap in the National League special case race. The matchup among Lorenzen and Mikolas will be critical, as the two pitchers aim to convey strong performances to give their particular teams an edge.

With power hitters like Bobby Witt Jr. and Nolan Arenado leading the charge, and two decided pitchers on the hill, this I-70 Series vows to be an exhilarating contest with significant postseason implications for the two teams.