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The Guardians make the trip to Kansas City to face the Royals! These two teams have high expectations this season, but the Royals, in particular, have a lot of talent and could make some noise. It's time to continue our MLB odds series with a Guardians-Royals prediction and pick.
Guardians-Royals Projected Starters
Gavin Williams vs. Seth Lugo
Gavin Williams (3-10) with a 4.86 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP in 2024
Last Start:
2024 Away Splits: 3-3 (3.56 ERA)
Seth Lugo (16-9) with a 3.00 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP In 2024
Last Start:
2024 Home Splits: 7-6 (3.36 ERA)
Here are the MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Guardians-Royals Odds
Cleveland Guardians: +1.5 (-210)
Moneyline: +108
Kansas City Royals: -1.5 (+172)
Moneyline: -126
Over: 8.5 (+100)
Under: 8.5 (-122)
How to Watch Guardians vs. Royals
Time: 4:10 pm ET/1:10 pm PT
TV: FanDuel Sports Network Kansas City
*Watch MLB games LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why The Guardians Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Guardians were great last season and finished with a 92-69 record. Their bats were underwhelming and ranked near the bottom of the MLB, while they had one of the best pitching staffs in the league in comparison. Brayan Rocchio, Jose Ramirez, Lane Thomas, and Steven Kwan are key for what this offense wants to do this season, but they lost different playmakers this past offseason, like Josh Naylor and Andres Gimenez. Tanner Bibee is the best pitcher on the roster, but Ben Lively has also been a solid piece. This pitching staff needs to carry the Guardians because this offense still has a lot of question marks.
The Guardians are starting Gavin Williams on the mound. Last season, he had a 3-10 record, a 4.86 ERA, and a 1.37 WHIP. Williams allowed 42 runs on 72 hits with 32 walks and 79 strikeouts through 76 innings. He also had a K/BB ratio of 2.5. Williams struggled last season, and this is a bad matchup against a loaded Royals offense, especially on the road in Kansas City.
The Guardians have talent behind the plate on offense, but there's more uncertainty. They were 22nd in team batting average at .238. Jose Ramirez and Steven Kwan led the way in the different batting categories. Kwan led in batting average at .238 and in OBP at .368. Then, Ramirez led in home runs at 39, in RBI at 118, and in total hits at 173. This offense has a big issue against the Royals and Seth Lugo in this matchup. Lugo is a great pitcher and can shut down this offense at home.
Why The Royals Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Royals played well last season toward an 86-76 record. Their bats and pitching were both top 10 units in the MLB last year. This season, Seth Lugo, Cole Ragans, Michael Wacha, and Michael Lorenzen make up a monster pitching staff for the Royals. Their bats are also significant, led by Bobby Witt Jr., Jonathan India, Maikel Garcia, Salvador Perez, and Vinnie Pasquantino. The Royals have the talent to have a monster season, but they need to bounce back and get a win in this matchup.
The Royals are starting Seth Lugo on the mound. Last season, he had a 16-9 record, a 3.00 ERA, and a 1.09 WHIP. Through 206.2 innings, he allowed 75 runs on 177 hits with 48 walks and 181 strikeouts. He also had a K/BB ratio of 3.8. Lugo has the upper hand on the Guardians, and their offense is filled with question marks this season.
The Royals' offense was outstanding last season. They were 10th in team batting average at .248. Bobby Witt Jr. led their offense in most batting categories. He led in batting average at .332, in home runs at 32, in RBI at 109, in OBP at .389, and in total hits with 211. This offense should be able to have a big game against Williams because, based on last season, Williams is struggling on the mound. The Royals have the upper hand on offense.
Final Guardians-Royals Prediction & Pick
The Royals should win and win easily in this game. They have an offense to beat Williams, and Lugo should shut down the Guardians. The Royals win and cover and get their first win of the 2025 season.
Final Guardians-Royals Prediction & Pick: Kansas City Royals: -1.5 (+172)
