Kansas City Royals vs Minnesota Twins Picks and Predictions September 6th 2024

At 8:10 PM ET, the Twins and Royals face off in an AL Central matchup. This one is being played at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, and the Royals are favored on the money line (-147). The money line odds for a Twins win are sitting at +125, and the over/under line is at 7.5 runs.

Minnesota will be starting Zebby Matthews, while Cole Ragans is on the mound for the Royals. On the season, the Twins are 76-64, while the Royals are 76-65. APLTV is carrying this one on TV.

Zebby Matthews is getting the start for the Twins today against the Royals. This will be his first road start of the season, and he is looking to bounce back from a rough outing in his last start, where he took the loss vs. the Blue Jays. In that game, he went just 2 innings, giving up 9 runs on 10 hits.

Carlos Santana has been the Twins’ top power threat this season, as he leads the team with 20 homers and 60 RBIs, but he is batting just .238 for the year. Over his last eight games, Santana has gone 5/24 with two homers. Ryan Jeffers also has 20 homers for the Twins and is 2nd on the team with 59 RBIs. Jeffers is also batting just .237 for the season. Byron Buxton is batting .275 for the season and is 2nd on the team with 16 homers.

Overall, the Twins are averaging 4.8 runs per game, which is 9th in the league. They have been a good home run hitting team this season and are among the league leaders in team slugging percentage and OPS. Minnesota comes into the game with the 6th best on-base percentage in the league.

Cole Ragans will be looking to bounce back from a rough outing vs. the Astros, as he gets the start for the Royals today vs. the Twins. In that start, he took the loss, giving up five earned runs in five innings of work. Looking back over his last three starts, Ragans has given up at least four earned runs in each outing. The left-hander’s record for the season is 10-9, and he has an ERA of 3.46. Opponents are batting .212 this season vs. Ragans. Out of his 28 starts, he has turned in 17 quality starts and is averaging 10.99 strikeouts per nine innings.

So far this season, the Royals are averaging 4.8 runs per game, which is 10th in the league. They have been even better at home, putting up 5.1 runs per contest. As a team, they are batting .254, and their team on-base percentage of .310 is 11th in the league. One of the Royals’ biggest strengths is their ability to avoid strikeouts, as they have the 2nd fewest strikeouts in the league.

Bobby Witt Jr. has been one of the top hitters in the league this season, batting .339 with 30 home runs and 97 RBIs. He has also been hot of late, going 5/18 with two homers in his last five games. Salvador Perez is also having a strong season, hitting .273 with 25 homers and 94 RBIs. Vinnie Pasquantino has also been a big power threat for the Royals, as he is 6th in the league with 97 RBIs and has 19 homers.

Rested Royals Set to Host Critical Series Against Twins as Playoff Race Intensifies

The Kansas City Royals are back in action after a well-earned day of rest, ready to host the Minnesota Twins in a crucial three-game series starting Friday. Both teams are neck-and-neck in the playoff race, with the Royals looking to ride their latest win into a playoff push and keep pace in the battle for a wild-card spot.

Royals End Losing Streak, Look to Build Momentum

The Royals (76-65) put an end to a tough seven-game losing streak with a 4-1 win over the Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday. Tommy Pham delivered the big blow with a three-run homer in the fourth inning, giving Kansas City a much-needed boost heading into this pivotal series. Closer Lucas Erceg also bounced back from his recent struggles, securing a hitless ninth inning to earn his sixth save.

Manager Matt Quatraro echoed the sense of relief. “Nobody wants to lose for a week straight. It wears on you mentally and physically. But Tommy’s big hit really took the pressure off.”

Despite their recent struggles, the Royals sit just 4 1/2 games back in the AL Central and are only a half-game behind the Twins for the second AL wild-card spot. With the Twins (76-64) and Yankees looming in the next six games, this stretch could very well determine Kansas City’s postseason fate.

Pitching Matchup: Ragans vs. Matthews

Kansas City will turn to left-hander Cole Ragans (10-9, 3.46 ERA) to open the series. Ragans has been one of the team’s most reliable arms this season, with a 2.50 ERA in three starts against the Twins. He last faced Minnesota on August 14, striking out eight over seven innings to earn the win. Although Ragans has been winless in his last three starts, his recent 10-strikeout performance against Houston shows he’s still dealing.

The Twins will counter with rookie right-hander Zebby Matthews (1-2, 7.41 ERA). Matthews got his first MLB win against the Royals on August 13, allowing two runs over five innings. However, he’s struggled in his last three starts, giving up 15 runs, including a rough outing against the Blue Jays where he allowed nine runs in just two innings. Matthews will be looking to bounce back, but his recent struggles make this a key opportunity for the Royals’ offense.

Royals Playoff Picture

The Royals are entering a do-or-die stretch of their season, with playoff-contending opponents lined up for 20 consecutive games. So far, Kansas City has gone 5-9 in the first 14 games of that stretch, but they remain within reach of a postseason berth. With matchups against both the Twins and Yankees, the Royals have a chance to swing the wild-card race in their favor.

Twins Missing Key Players

The Twins come into the series dealing with some critical injuries. Center fielder Byron Buxton‘s return has been delayed due to ongoing hip soreness, and right fielder Max Kepler has been placed on the 10-day injured list with left patellar tendinitis. Kepler, despite his recent struggles at the plate, leaves a notable gap in the lineup, hitting just .116 over his last 12 games.

Even with these setbacks, the Twins are coming off a tight 4-3 win against the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday, keeping their wild-card hopes alive.

Series Outlook

This series holds major playoff implications for both teams. The Royals, rejuvenated by a confidence-boosting win, will look to capitalize on the Twins’ injury concerns and get the most out of Cole Ragans on the mound. For Minnesota, overcoming their recent health issues and finding consistency will be key to staying ahead in the wild-card race.

With both teams hungry for a postseason berth, this three-game set could determine who keeps their playoff dreams alive as the season reaches its most crucial point.

For an over/under pick, our lean is on the over. This is projected to be the 7th highest-scoring game of the day, and we have the Twins offense finishing with the 8th most home runs. For a money-line pick, we are leaning towards the Twins to pick up the win. Comparing the two starters, we have Zebby Matthews finishing with more strikeouts than Cole Ragans for the Royals.