Framber Valdez gets the start for the Astros (83-66, 45-29 away) against Jordan Lyles and the Royals (48-101, 28-46 home). Today will be game three of their series, with the Royals leading 2-0. Check out who see coming out on top in today’s Houston Astros vs. Kansas City Royals matchup.

HOUSTON ASTROS VS KANSAS CITY ROYALS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Kansas City Royals +1.5 Runs

This game will be played at Kauffman Stadium at 2:10 ET on Sunday, September 17th.

WHY BET THE KANSAS CITY ROYALS:

  • Against the runline, the Royals have gone 2-1 in their three games at home.
  • The Royals come into the game on a four game win streak vs. the runline.
  • The Royals are 2-1 in Jordan Lyles’ last five starts.

HOUSTON ASTROS LOOK TO CONTINUE WINNING WAYS ON THE ROAD

Looking to snap a two game losing streak, the Astros are in 1st place in the AL West. Houston’s overall record sits at 83-66 while going 45-29 on the road and 38-37 at home, respectively. So far, they have played in 47 series, and have gone 26-17-4.

Framber Valdez has been a reliable starter for the Astros this season, with an 11-10 record in 28 appearances. His ERA stands at 3.32, and he has an impressive 8.82 K/9 rate. Furthermore, his FIP is 3.51 and opponents have a .276 OBP against him.

Framber Valdez will look to build on his last outing, in which he hurled seven frames and gave up three earned runs on four hits. Unfortunately, the Astros were unable to come away with a victory, as they fell 4-0 to the Athletics.

The Astros have been one of the top power lineups in the league of late, having hit 6 home runs over their last five games. Compared to other clubs, this is 5th best in that span. For the season, they are ranked 8th in home runs and 6th in slugging percentage. Overall, Houston is averaging 5.2 runs per game (5th).

Over the Astros’ last five contests, Yordan Alvarez has been the leader in home runs with one. He has totaled 27 long balls on the year and holds a .299 batting average.

WILL THE KANSAS CITY ROYALS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

The Royals will be looking for their 5th straight win in today’s game and have an overall record of 48-101. At home, Kansas City has put together a record of 28-46 while going 20-55 on the road. Currently, they are in 5th place in the AL Central.

Jordan Lyles has had a rough season with the Royals thus far, having made 28 appearances and posting an overall record of 4-16. His ERA stands at 6.44, and his K/9 rate is 5.99. Additionally, Lyles’ FIP is 5.68 and his OBP is .301.

Jordan Lyles’ last outing against the White Sox saw him surrender seven runs and seven hits, but the Royals still emerged victorious with a 11-10 scoreline. Despite not factoring into the decision, Lyles’ performance was enough to help Kansas City secure the win.

This season, the Royals are 23rd in the league at 4.1 runs per game. Over their last ten games, they have a combined batting average of .236 (17th) leading to 5.2 runs per contest. Overall, they are generating 2.5 walks per game compared to 8 strikeouts. Kansas City’s on-base percentage of .302 has them 21st in the MLB.

Salvador Perez is batting 0.415 this season, with a SLG% to match. His availability for the game is uncertain, so it’s worth monitoring the lineups closely.