Already leading the series 1-0, the Royals (40-84, 17-44 away) are sending Brady Singer to the mound to take on the Cubs (62-59, 33-30 home) and Justin Steele in game two of this series. See who I like to come out on top in this interleague matchup between the Kansas City Royals and Chicago Cubs in Chicago.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS VS CHICAGO CUBS BETTING PICK

The Pick: Kansas City Royals +1.5 Runs

This game will be played at Wrigley Field at 2:20 ET on Saturday, August 19th.

WHY BET THE KANSAS CITY ROYALS:

  • In their last five games as the underdog, the Royals have put together a runline record of 3-2.
  • The Cubs have dropped three straight games vs. the runline at home.
  • Opponents are hitting a healthy .317 against Justin Steele in his last two starts.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS LOOKING FOR UPSET AS ROAD UNDERDOGS

Through 124 games, the Royals have a record of 40-84. This mark includes going 6-30-3 across their 39 series. Currently, Kansas City is 5th in the AL Central and have a 23-40 record at home while going 17-44 on the road. So far, the Royals have gone 19-50 against teams with above .500 records.

Brady Singer takes the mound for the Kansas City Royals with an 8-8 record. In 24 appearances, he has a 4.91 ERA, 7.7 K/9, 3.88 FIP, and a .316 OBP.

Brady Singer’s most recent performance resulted in a no-decision, despite the Royals’ 7-6 victory over the Mariners. The right-hander went 7 1/3 innings, allowing two earned runs on two hits and registering a quality start.

So far this season, the Royals’ has gone deep 121 times, placing them 23rd in the league. Over Kansas City’s previous five games, they are 13th in runs scored, with their season average of 4 runs per game putting them 23rd in the league. The Royals’ overall team batting average stands at .244 along with an OBP of .300.

Bobby Witt Jr. has been one of the Kansas City Royals’ most productive hitters in 2023, boasting a .278 batting average and 78 runs batted in. The youngster has also clubbed 24 home runs this season.

WILL THE CHICAGO CUBS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

Entering game 122 of their season, the Cubs are three games out in the NL Central and are in 3rd place. So far, their overall series record stands at 20-14-5. Chicago’s road winning percent is currently 50.0% (29-29) compared to 52.4% at home (33-30).

The Cubs will turn to starter Justin Steele, who has been a reliable force for them this season. With an overall record of 13-3, 22 appearances, and an ERA of 2.79, Steele has been a key contributor to the team’s success. His K/9 figure of 8.57 is impressive and his FIP of 3.19 and OBP of .288 further demonstrate his effectiveness on the mound.

Justin Steele’s most recent outing saw him surrender six hits over five innings, resulting in three earned runs. Despite not being credited with the win, the Cubs emerged victorious 5-4 over the Blue Jays.

Having gone deep 12 times in their last ten games, the Cubs are 7th in that span. At 5 runs per game, Chicago is 5th in the league. This figure has come on a team batting average of .255 while hitting a total of 147 home runs (13th).

Patrick Wisdom is the home-run king for the Cubs in 2023, having already blasted 20 long balls and driving in 40 runs. His slugging percentage of .498 is one of the best on the team this season.