Opening Day 2022 rolls right along in this American League Central showdown between the newly-revamped Cleveland Guardians taking on the Kansas City Royals. It is time to check out our MLB odds series with a Guardians-Royals prediction and pick.
For the first time in nearly 100 years, the city of Cleveland's major league baseball team has a new name. Introducing the Guardians, who will be representing one of the oldest franchises in the American League for the first time in 2022. Cleveland was for the most part mediocre in 2021, compiling a record of 80-82 through 162 games played. The Guardians will be sending out RHP Shane Bieber to pitch for Cleveland's opening contest, as the right-hander struck out 134 batters in only 16 games started while going 7-4 in those games with a 3.17 ERA.
Give a warm welcome to the 2022 Kansas City Royals, who after finishing fourth in the AL Central with a 74-88 record, is welcoming back a familiar face on the mound on Thursday. RHP Zach Greinke is set to make his Royals return after posting respectable numbers in an Astros jersey in 2021. In his 29 starts, the 38-year old Greinke pitched his way to an 11-6 record with a 4.16 ERA and 120 strikeouts.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Guardians-Royals MLB odds:
MLB Odds: Guardians-Royals Odds
Cleveland Guardians: -1.5 (+146)
Kansas City Royals: +1.5 (-176)
Over: 7.5 (-105)
Under: 7.5 (-115)
*Watch MLB Games LIVE with fuboTV (click for free trial)
Why the Guardians Could Cover the Spread
Baseball is back in “Believeland”, as the franchise with the longest current World Series drought in major league baseball and fifth-longest of all time will begin their season with the hopes of winning their first championship since 1948. Cleveland was a group that struggled at the plate for a majority of 2021, as they had a bottom-three batting lineup in terms of batting average and OPS. With that being said, the Guardians calling card will be their pitching staff that on paper should carry Cleveland to a handful of wins if they can stay healthy and avoid injury.
Cleveland's ace in Shane Bieber appears to be 100% himself again, which is fantastic news considering it has only been two seasons removed since Bieber was named an AL Cy Young Winner. Bieber has electric stuff on the mound that translates into a high K/9 rate, and he's also not a guy who is gonna walk many batters.
Outside of the pitching staff, if there is one name to keep an eye on heading into the 2022 baseball season, look no further than 3B Jose Ramirez, who became the talk of the sport after he signed a five-year, $124 million-dollar extension that will have him in a Cleveland uniform through 2028. Although one name alone is not going to improve the Guardians' offensive onslaught as a whole, Ramirez will provide some much-needed firepower. Bieber will most likely pitch a gem versus a middle-of-the-pack Royals bunch, so consistency in stringing together productive at-bats will go a long way in the Guardians covering the spread.
Why the Royals Could Cover the Spread
After winning a world championship in 2015, the Royals have slowly but surely been in rebuild mode since. Kansas City showed flashes of improvement at times during the 2021 season but were too up-and-down to be considered as anything more than a below-average baseball club.
Ironically enough, Zach Greinke is back in a royal blue and white uniform, as it was in fact the major haul that KC got in return when they traded the future Hall-of-Fame pitcher away in 2010 that gave the Royals the pieces to compete for a title. The baseball Gods always seem to have a unique sense of humor when it comes to these things, as Greinke is back in the “City of Fountains” for a second stint. The savvy veteran hurler is the perfect ace on the Royal's pitching staff which contains at least six pitchers that are between the ages of 24 and 26.
Switching gears to the Royals' offense in 2022, there is plenty of young and unproven talent throughout the batting order. Names like two-hit Whit Merrifield is as good of a lead-off man as it comes, while the Royals will contain more raw power in the heart of the lineup than they've had in recent memory with Salvador Perez, Andrew Benintendi, and Carlos Santana all capable of reaching the 30+ home run threshold.
Yes, the Royals are a huge question mark heading into 2022 but have no fear, Kansas City is more than capable of treating the home crowd of Kauffman Stadium and baseball sports bettors alike with a victory and in return covering the spread as well.
Final Guardians-Royals Prediction & Pick
While it may be extremely challenging in knowing what these two clubs are gonna bring to the table in their first games of 2022, keep in mind that Cleveland downed the Royals by more than two runs in 12 of 14 matchups in 2021, as well as coming out victorious at Kauffman Stadium 16 of the last 21 times. These records alone should force many to side with the Guardians in this one, especially until the Royals can consistently beat Cleveland and prove otherwise that they are a force to be reckoned with. Cleveland gets the best of KC and wins by multiple runs in their debut as the Guardians.
Final Guardians-Royals Prediction & Pick: Guardians -1.5 (+146)
Follow Us
Subscribe