Free MLB Pick: Red Sox vs. Royals Odds
Looking for Boston Red Sox vs. Kansas City Royals free MLB predictions? MLB betting sees the Red Sox taking on the Royals on Friday, June 18th, 2021 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. Cappers Picks provides complimentary expert handicapping picks on all MLB baseball matchups all season long so stay tuned for more FREE daily MLB predictions like this Red Sox Royals free pick.
2021 MLB Handicapping
(42-27) Boston Red Sox vs. Kansas City Royals (30-37)
Date: Friday, June 18th, 2021
Time: 8:10 PM ET
Venue: Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, MO.
Projected Pitchers: Pivetta (BOS) vs. TBD (KC)
MLB Moneyline Odds: OFF
MLB RunLine Betting Odds: OFF
MLB Baseball Gambling Total: OFF
Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox won both of their games in Atlanta this week by a score of 10–8.
Alex Verdugo and Christian Arroyo each had clutch homers in the seventh inning. Verdugo’s was a three-run shot in the first game to break a tie. Arroyo’s grand slam came the next night and put Boston up three.
The Red Sox’ pitching didn’t have an easy time against a tough Braves offense but it was not as bad as the numbers in the two games may have suggested.
Garrett Richards was holding on until a three-run homer knocked him out of his start on Wednesday and blemished his final line. Eduardo Rodriguez struck out eight batters with just one walk in four innings the night before.
And Josh Taylor came on in the eighth inning of Wednesday’s win to record his 19th consecutive scoreless outing with a shutout inning.
Nick Pivetta will start the first game in Kansas City on Friday. He started excellently with an ERA of 2.81 at the end of April and 3.16 by the middle of May.
It’s been creeping up more quickly since then, however, and sits at 4.28 after giving up six runs in five innings against the Blue Jays his last time out.
He’s walked multiple batters in all but one of his 13 starts this season. Still, there’s reason to be optimistic he will take advantage of one of the weaker opponents he will face in a while on Friday night.
Kansas City Royals
Kansas City has been a streaky team so far this season. It lost eleven games in a row at the beginning of May. Then it won eleven of its next fifteen.
Currently, however, the Royals have lost eleven of twelve, including the last six in a row after getting swept at home by the lowly Tigers.
The last two games of that series came by a single run but KC did get Thursday off at home to reset prior to the Red Sox coming to town.
Old friend Andrew Benintendi will not play in this series, as he remains sidelined with a cracked rib. He has a 110 OPS+ through 60 games this season but will be out for the foreseeable future.
That OPS mark was good enough for third of KC’s regulars, behind only Salvador Perez, who is having a fine season, and Carlos Santana.
Perez, who turned 31 last month, continues to have himself a terrific career. He made six consecutive American League All-Star Teams before missing all of 2019 with injury and then playing in only 37 games a year ago (though posting good numbers).
This year, he already has 17 home runs, which has him on pace to hit 30 for the first time in his career. Good as Perez is, his plate discipline hasn’t gotten any better. He has just eight walks to 68 Ks on the season, even a little worse than his career mark of 142 to 703.
MLB Baseball Betting Trends:
- Red Sox are 8-0 in their last 8 Friday games.
- Red Sox are 5-0 in their last 5 road games vs. a right-handed starter.
- Red Sox are 5-0 in their last 5 vs. a team with a losing record.
- Red Sox are 6-0 in their last 6 road games.
- Over is 4-0 in Red Sox last 4 vs. American League Central.
- Over is 4-0 in Red Sox last 4 road games.
- Head to Head: Over is 21-9-3 in the last 33 meetings.
- Head to Head: Red Sox are 9-1 in the last 10 meetings.
Boston Red Sox vs. Kansas City Royals MLB Prediction: Pivetta bounces back with a strong outing.
Kansas City has set its starting pitchers for the weekend but not yet for Friday.
Pivetta should pitch well in this spot against a weaker opponent and I will back him, either in the form of a Boston victory or the under.
4* Free MLB Betting Pick: Boston Runline.
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