Game three of this interleague series sees the Cubs (63-59, 34-30 home) and Royals (40-85, 17-45 away) facing off at Wrigley Field. The starting pitcher for the Cubs will be Kyle Hendricks, while the Royals are turning to Jordan Lyles. Find out who I like to win in this Chicago Cubs and Kansas City Royals showdown.

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 Sunday, August 20th.

WHY BET THE KANSAS CITY ROYALS:

  • In their last ten games, the Royals have gone 6-4 vs. the runline.
  • Against the runline, the Cubs have gone just 1-4 in their last five home games.
  • Kyle Hendricks has struggled of late, coming in with an ERA of 7.95 over his last three starts.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS SEEK TO IMPROVE THEIR ROAD RECORD

This year, the Royals have put together a 52-73 record against the runline. On the road, their runline mark sits at 24-38. Straight-up, they are 40-85 and are 5th in the AL Central. Lately, Kansas City has had problems on the road, losing six straight series. The team’s over/under record for the season is 61-61.

The Royals will turn to starter Jordan Lyles, who has a 3-13 record through 23 appearances this season. His ERA stands at 6.30, and he has a K/9 of 6.24. Additionally, Lyles has compiled a FIP of 5.54 and an OBP of .304.

Jordan Lyles’ recent start against the Mariners was not his best, as he yielded seven runs and nine hits in five innings of action. Unfortunately, the Royals were unable to overcome this deficit and fell to Seattle 10-8.

For the season, the Royals are 14th in batting average, hitting a combined .244. Over their last ten games, they have hit .278 which is 3rd in that span. Kansas City’s average of 4 runs per game puts them 24th in the league. In terms of home runs, they have gone deep 121 times and have a team slugging percentage of .395.

Bobby Witt Jr. has been a major contributor to the Royals’ offensive success in 2023, leading the team with 24 home runs and 79 RBIs. His slugging percentage of .502 is indicative of his impressive power at the plate.

WILL THE CHICAGO CUBS TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

122 games into the season, the Cubs have a record of 63-59, putting them 3rd in the NL Central. This mark includes an overall series 20-14-5. At home, they are 34-30 compared to 29-29 on the road.

Kyle Hendricks is taking the mound for his 17th start of the season, with a record of 4-6. His ERA stands at 4.00, and opponents are batting .242 against him. On the road, he has been impressive, posting a 3.03 ERA and going 3-2 in five starts. At home, however, he has been less successful; his ERA is 5.86 and he is 1-4 in six starts. For the season overall, teams have a slugging percentage of .384 against him.

Kyle Hendricks delivered a quality start in his most recent outing, going six innings and allowing three runs. However, the Cubs were unable to come away with the win against the White Sox, falling 5-3.

The Cubs have been one of the top power lineups in the league of late, having hit 14 home runs over their last ten games. Compared to other clubs, this is 4th best in that span. For the season, they are ranked 12th in home runs and 11th in slugging percentage. Overall, Chicago is averaging 5 runs per game (5th).

Cody Bellinger has been the Cubs’ offensive leader this season, with 20 home runs and a .326 batting average. Over the last five games, he has been especially impressive, hitting two homers.