Kansas City Royals vs San Francisco Giants Picks and Predictions September 20th 2024

From Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, we have the Giants and Royals facing off in an interleague matchup. Friday’s forecast in Kansas City calls for clear skies and temperatures in the mid to upper 90s. First pitch is set for 8:10 PM ET, and NBCS will be televising this one.

The money line odds have the Royals at -164 compared to the Giants at +140, and the over/under line is at 8.5 runs. Mason Black will be starting for the Giants, and the Royals are starting Michael Wacha. Kansas City is 2nd in the AL Central, while the Giants are 4th in the NL West. The Royals have lost four straight.

San Francisco vs. Kansas City Key Information

Through six starts, Mason Black has yet to pick up a win, as he is 0-4 with a 7.07 ERA. Overall, he has made seven appearances and has a WHIP of 1.64. Black’s ERA on the road is 10.53, and he has allowed a total of seven home runs. In his most recent outing, Black took the loss, going four innings and giving up two earned runs on six hits. He has taken the loss in each of his last three outings. Opponents are batting .306 off Black this season.

So far this season, the Giants are averaging 4.3 runs per game, which is 17th in the league. They have been a bit better on the road, averaging 4.4 runs per game, compared to 4.2 at home. Overall, the team is batting .238, which is 14th in the league, and they are 18th in home runs.

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Matt Chapman and Heliot Ramos have been the Giants’ top power threats this season, with Chapman leading the team with 24 homers and Ramos not far behind with 21. Chapman also leads the team with 73 RBIs. Over his last nine games, LaMonte Wade Jr. has gone 9/29, while Mike Yastrzemski has struggled a bit, going 6/29 over his last eight games.

Michael Wacha gets the start for the Royals today and will be looking to build off his last outing, where he picked up the win. Against the Pirates on September 14th, he went five innings, giving up just one earned run. In that outing, he had eight strikeouts. Looking back further, Wacha has made 27 starts this year and has a record of 13-7. His ERA for the season is 3.29, along with a WHIP of 1.19. Opposing batters are hitting .243 off Wacha this season. The right-hander has made 14 quality starts and is averaging 7.96 strikeouts per nine innings.

So far this season, the Royals are averaging 4.7 runs per game, which is 9th in the league. They have been even better at home, putting up 4.9 runs per contest. As a team, they are batting .252, which is 7th in the league, and have the 2nd fewest strikeouts in the league. Kansas City’s offense is also near the top of the league in slugging percentage and OPS.

Bobby Witt Jr. has been swinging a hot bat for the Royals, hitting .331 for the season with a team-high 32 homers. Over his last seven games, he has two home runs and nine RBIs. Salvador Perez is also having a strong season at the plate, batting .276 with 27 homers.

Despite this Giants vs. Royals matchup being one of the lowest-scoring games of the day, we are still leaning towards taking the over. As for who is going to take this one straight up, we like the Giants to come out on top. San Francisco starter Mason Black has the 8th best odds to pick up a win, while Michael Wacha has the 7th worst strikeout projection among today’s starters.

Reeling Royals Look to Halt Slide in Series Opener Against Giants

The Kansas City Royals find themselves in a precarious position, as a recent slump has put their playoff hopes in jeopardy. As they prepare to host the San Francisco Giants for a three-game series starting Friday, the Royals are desperate to snap their four-game losing streak and regain control of their postseason destiny.

With just nine games left in the regular season, the Royals (82-71) are clinging to the second American League wild-card spot, but the pressure is mounting. The Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers are only two games behind, with Detroit sweeping Kansas City in a crucial three-game series that wrapped up on Wednesday.

Royals Struggling at a Crucial Time

Kansas City’s recent struggles—losing 13 of their last 20 games—have come at the worst possible time. Their slide has virtually knocked them out of the race for the AL Central title and has complicated their wild-card pursuit. As Royals manager Matt Quatraro emphasized, they can no longer afford to rely on other teams faltering.

“I know we still control our own fate as far as getting into the playoffs, and that’s all you can really ask for,” Quatraro said. “We have to play better. We have to win some games, clearly. We can’t count on someone else losing a whole bunch of games at this time of year.”

Quatraro remains hopeful that his team will turn things around but acknowledges that time is running out. The Royals will need to find some answers quickly, starting with this series against the Giants, which will be their final home stand of the regular season. After that, they’ll head on the road to face the Washington Nationals and the playoff-bound Atlanta Braves.

Salvador Perez Keeps the Faith

Despite the mounting pressure, Royals star catcher Salvador Perez, who leads the team with 27 home runs and 103 RBIs, remains optimistic about Kansas City’s chances to secure a postseason spot.

“I don’t worry about it,” Perez said. “I think we’re going to be fine. I think we’re going to make it to the playoffs. That’s the kind of mentality we have here. Everybody has some bad series. It’s part of the game.”

Perez’s confidence will be key as the Royals look to snap out of their funk and finish the season strong. While they’ve struggled recently, the team knows that a strong showing against the Giants could provide the momentum needed to hold onto a wild-card berth.

Giants Looking to Finish Strong

The San Francisco Giants (74-79) have already been eliminated from playoff contention, but that hasn’t stopped them from trying to play spoiler. They took two out of three games from the Baltimore Orioles earlier this week, though they lost Thursday’s series finale on a walk-off home run by Anthony Santander.

Despite their own late-season struggles, going 7-13 in their last 20 games, the Giants are focused on finishing the season on a positive note. Manager Bob Melvin has been balancing the need to give young players opportunities while still fielding competitive lineups.

“We just want to finish up strong,” Melvin said. “We’re trying to get some guys in there to develop, but there is always that balance of also getting the best lineup out there.”

One bright spot for the Giants has been the resurgence of Michael Conforto. The veteran outfielder went 6-for-13 with two home runs and five RBIs in the series against Baltimore, and he’ll look to stay hot as the Giants take on Kansas City.

Michael Wacha vs. Mason Black

The Royals will send right-hander Michael Wacha (13-7, 3.29 ERA) to the mound for Friday’s series opener. Wacha has been a steady presence in Kansas City’s rotation, winning nine of his last 10 decisions, including each of his last two starts. In his most recent outing, Wacha allowed just one run on four hits over five innings in a 7-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

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Wacha has had plenty of success against the Giants in his career, posting a 3-0 record with a 1.80 ERA in nine starts. His familiarity with San Francisco’s lineup should give Kansas City some confidence as they look to stop their skid.

On the other side, San Francisco will turn to rookie right-hander Mason Black (0-4, 7.07 ERA), who has struggled since being recalled for his second stint with the Giants this season. Black has lost three consecutive starts, including his most recent outing against the San Diego Padres, where he allowed two runs on six hits over four innings in an 8-0 loss.

Key Players to Watch

1. Salvador Perez (Royals): Perez’s leadership and production will be critical for Kansas City as they fight to keep their wild-card spot. His power bat is a game-changer, and his confidence in the team will need to translate to on-field success.
2. Michael Conforto (Giants): Conforto has been swinging a hot bat recently, and the Giants will need him to continue producing if they hope to disrupt the Royals’ playoff hopes.
3. Michael Wacha (Royals): Wacha has been one of the Royals’ most reliable starters, and his strong track record against the Giants makes him the ideal candidate to help Kansas City end its losing streak.
4. Mason Black (Giants): Black has struggled since returning to the majors, and the Royals will be eager to take advantage of his inexperience. How Black handles Kansas City’s lineup could set the tone for the entire series.

Royals Need a Turnaround

The Royals are well aware that this series against the Giants represents a make-or-break moment for their season. With just nine games left and a narrow lead in the wild-card race, Kansas City must find a way to reverse their recent fortunes. Strong pitching performances from Wacha and a rejuvenated offense will be key if they are to hold off challengers like the Twins and Tigers.

For the Giants, playing spoiler is all that’s left, but with players like Conforto finding their groove, they’ll look to make things difficult for Kansas City. Even though San Francisco is out of the playoff hunt, they can still impact the race and finish their season with pride.

As both teams take the field on Friday, the stakes couldn’t be higher for the Royals, who must find a way to end their slide and keep their postseason hopes alive.