- Matchup: St. Louis Cardinals vs Kansas City Royals
- Date: Friday, June 19, 2026
- Venue: Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, MO
- Broadcast: MLB.TV
- Betting Odds: St. Louis Cardinals (+132) Kansas City Royals (-160)
This page may include affiliate links at no extra cost to you, thanks for your support.
This Friday, Kauffman Stadium will serve as the battleground where the Kansas City Royals (30-45) face off against the St. Louis Cardinals (40-32). The betting line shows St. Louis at +132, while Kansas City is favored at -160. The over/under for this matchup is set at 8 runs, with starting pitchers Michael McGreevy and Seth Lugo taking the mound.
The Cardinals have collectively hit 102 doubles and connected for 83 home runs this season. With a slugging percentage of .395, the team has struck out 571 times, while also earning 241 walks. Averaging 4.5 runs per game, St. Louis ranks 14th in Major League Baseball. They have recorded 315 RBIs and 595 total hits with a batting average of .245. Their on-base percentage stands at .324, with a total of 326 runs scored.
The Cardinals are holding an earned run average of 4.08 this season (14th overall), and their pitchers have fanned 558 batters. They have allowed 78 home runs and given up a total of 315 runs (12th in MLB). With 239 walks issued, their FIP (Fielding Independent Pitching) is 4.21 as a unit this season. The pitching staff has conceded 617 hits (an average of 8.6 hits per 9 innings) and 293 earned runs. Their strikeout-to-walk ratio is 2.33, while their WHIP (Walks plus Hits per Inning Pitched) is 1.33.
The bullpen for the Cardinals has a save percentage of 63.9% and has participated in 89 save opportunities. They have achieved 23 saves this year, failing to save in 13 out of 36 chances. The relievers have inherited 114 runners this season, with a 33.3% run-scoring rate for those inherited runners. Cardinals bullpen pitchers have stepped into high-leverage situations 87 times in addition to making 243 relief appearances this year, accumulating 51 holds (5th in the league).
On defense, the St. Louis Cardinals have recorded 1,937 putouts, 674 assists, and 33 errors, with a fielding percentage of .988, ranking them 11th in MLB. They have successfully turned 70 double plays, converting 69.6% of balls in play into outs across 5,811 innings, placing them 21st in professional baseball.
Starting pitcher McGreevy has thrown 196 innings, recording 127 strikeouts in his career with an earned run average of 3.58 (78 earned runs allowed). His career WHIP is 1.146, allowing an average of 8.4 hits per nine innings and issuing 41 walks. McGreevy holds a career win-loss record of 14-9 and a FIP of 3.52, facing 796 batters in Major League Baseball.
The Kansas City Royals have posted a team slugging percentage of .383, averaging 4.01 runs per game (ranked 26th). They have hit 124 doubles, drawn 258 walks, and scored 301 runs. This season, Kansas City has tallied 69 home runs and 290 RBIs, with 599 strikeouts, ranking them 20th in the league, and 611 hits overall. The Royals have achieved an on-base percentage of .318 and a batting average of .244 this year.
As a pitching staff, the Royals have a WHIP of 1.375 and a FIP of 4.51. They rank 24th in MLB, allowing 630 total hits. The Kansas City pitchers have conceded 352 runs this season, holding a team ERA of 4.48 (330 earned runs). They possess a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 8.00 (589 strikeouts vs. 282 walks) and have relinquished 93 home runs, giving up 4.78 runs per 9 innings (19th in baseball).
In save opportunities, the Royals have a total of 66 situations, acquiring 31 holds and blowing 16 saves. They have had their bullpen on the mound 35 times in save chances, securing 19 saves. The Kansas City relief pitchers have inherited 34.3% of their 67 inherited runners scoring. Their bullpen has made 80 appearances in high-leverage scenarios and 50 with runners on base. They rank 24th in the league with a 54.3% save rate, using 236 relief pitchers throughout the season.
Across their 5,970 innings played, the Royals maintain a defensive efficiency of 70.0% (ranked 16th in the majors). They have turned 63 double plays and boast a .988 fielding percentage (7th in MLB) with 648 assists, 32 errors, and 1,990 putouts this season.
Lugo has a career record of 66-51, with an earned run average of 3.52, averaging 8.2 hits allowed per 9 innings. He maintains a K/BB (Strikeouts to Walks) ratio of 3.39 and has faced 4,432 batters in his career. Lugo has allowed 419 earned runs with a WHIP of 1.186 and a FIP of 3.5. Throughout his MLB career, he has surrendered 971 hits while registering 1,020 strikeouts over 1,072 innings.
Which team will come out on top in tonight’s MLB matchup against the spread or on the moneyline?
Prediction: Select St. Louis (+132)
Some links on this page are affiliate links. If you sign up or make a purchase through them, we may earn a small commission always at no extra cost to you. Thanks for helping us keep this site running.
