Don’t take the disparity between these teams, on paper, for granted.
That’s something the Houston Astros (83-64) should know all too well after this week. Facing Oakland should’ve given Houston a state of grace, but instead, they dropped two of three. Suddenly, two rivals are within two games of their AL West lead again. They let the division race begin again.
As for the Kansas City Royals (46-101), they have MLB’s worst record because the Athletic stunningly won. The Royals won their series this week, which most would’ve expected to get them out of the MLB cellar. Instead, they’ll have to beat up on Houston too if they want to avoid the worst team moniker of 2023.
Games like this can get interesting, especially if one side wants to play spoiler. Here’s how Astros vs. Royals should shape up.
Match Details
Fixture: Houston Astros @ Kansas City Royals
Date and Time: Friday, September 15, 2023, 8:10 p.m. EST
Venue: Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri
Astros vs. Royals Betting Odds
| Team | Run Line | Total | Money Line |
| Astros | -1.5 (-130) | Over 10.5 (-115) | -185 |
| Royals | +1.5 (+110) | Under 10.5 (-105) | +154 |
Starting Pitchers
Christian Javier will try to get back on track when he starts tonight. Despite Houston winning four of the five games, Javier’s ERA is 6.85 in those contests. He also brings a 5.51 away ERA into this one.
Former Astro Zack Greinke will be up first for the Royals today. He has been much better at home, with a 3.80 ERA in 13 starts. However, the Royals have lost eight of his nine starts since July started.
Astros vs. Royals Prediction
Both of these starting pitchers have been struggling lately. Both of them have an ERA above 6.25 in their past five starts. Kansas City’s Kauffman Stadium tends to help offensive production, even if it’s not a great park for homers. The Royals score much more often at home, while the Astros hit better on the road. This game should have a lot of scoring early, setting the tone for the over to win.
