The Kansas City Royals (18-47), one of the least productive offenses in MLB, are set to host the Cincinnati Reds (31-35) at Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium on Monday for the first of a three-game Interleague series.
The Reds are in the midst of a nine-game road trip. They won two out of three in their last series against the Cardinals, taking the finale 4-3 on Sunday at Busch Stadium.
Elly De La Cruz was 2 for 3 with two runs and one RBI. The Royals are back home for a six-game homestand after concluding a winless six-game road trip.
They were just swept in three games against the Orioles, dropping the finale 11-3 on Sunday at Oriole Park at Camden Yards for their sixth straight loss. Salvador Perez went 2 for 4 with a home run and a double. He scored two runs and had two RBIs.
The teams are meeting for the first time since July 7, 2021, when the Reds finished off a 2-1 series win with a 5-2 victory at Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium.
ON THE MOUND
Luke Weaver (1-2, 6.27 ERA) is slated for the start for Cincinnati. The right-hander allowed seven runs over 3.2 innings in his last start, a 9-8 road win over the Dodgers on Tuesday. He gave up six hits while striking out four and walking two in the no-decision.
RHP Zack Greinke (1-6, 4.59 ERA) will take the mound for Kansas City. In his last start on Tuesday, Greinke took the loss on the road against the Marlins. He threw 4.1 innings and gave up five runs on four hits, striking out three, in the 6-1 defeat.
AT THE PLATE
The Cincinnati offense is averaging 4.6 runs per game for the season, with a slash line of .255/.332/.393. Spencer Steer leads the team in OPS at .850. The third baseman is slashing .287/.367/.483 with eight home runs, 35 RBIs, and 35 runs over 63 games.
Against right-handed pitchers like Greinke this season, the Reds have a .717 OPS. Jake Fraley is the team’s most productive hitter against right-handers with a .866 OPS in 149 at-bats.
Kansas City is slashing .230/.293/.377 for the season and averaging 3.7 runs per game, the third lowest in the league. Perez leads the team with a .789 OPS.
The catcher has 13 home runs, 36 RBIs, and 30 runs scored with a slash line of .269/.305/.485. Kansas City is averaging only 1.6 runs per game in the last five with their slash line falling across the board (.196/.230/.278).
The Royals have a .658 OPS against right-handers in 2023, the third lowest in MLB. With a .870 OPS over 163 at-bats, Perez also has been their best hitter against right-handers.
HOME AND AWAY
Cincinnati is 14-17 in road games in 2023, scoring 4.6 runs per game while allowing 4.8 runs. Kansas City has gone 9-23 at their home park this season, averaging 4.2 runs per game while surrendering 5.7.
The teams have split their last 10 meetings at Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium, though Cincinnati has the scoring advantage with an average final margin of 3.6-3.3.
STANDINGS UPDATE
The Reds are third in the NL Central, four games behind the division-leading Pirates. The Royals are fifth in the AL Central, 14 games behind the Twins.
SportsTips’ MLB Pick:
KC Royals (-110)
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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.
