Texas Rangers vs Kansas City Royals Prediction, 4/1/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Texas Rangers vs Kansas City Royals

Date: Thursday, April 1, 2021

Location: Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO

TV: Bally Sports Kansas City

Odds/Point Spread: Texas (+139) Kansas City (-149)

Kauffman Stadium is the site where Brad Keller and the Kansas City Royals (26-34, 4th in AL Central last year) will take on the Texas Rangers (22-38, 5th in AL West last season) on Thursday. The line on this contest has the Rangers priced at +139 and the Royals are at -149. The O/U is set at 9. The pitchers taking the mound are Kyle Gibson and Brad Keller.

Texas slugged .364 and were called out on strikes 548 times last season, while drawing a walk on 167 occasions. They tallied 204 RBI's in addition to 420 base knocks last year, while their batting average finished at .217. The Rangers tallied 80 two-baggers as a squad and knocked 62 balls out of the stadium. They had a total of 224 runs scored and held an on-base percentage of .285. As a unit, the Texas Rangers put up 3.7 runs per outing, which ranked them 29th in the league.

The Rangers had an ERA of 5.02 last year (23rd in the league), and their staff struck out 489 batters. They walked 236 opposing hitters and their FIP came in at 4.88 as a unit in the previous season. They earned a K/BB ratio of 2.07 and the pitching staff had a collective WHIP of 1.39. Rangers pitchers conceded 81 long balls and also 312 runs in total (5th in the league). The Rangers relief pitchers earned a save rate of 52.6% and entered the game in 36 save situations. The relievers inherited 95 base runners last year with 32.6% of them ended up crossing the plate. Rangers pitchers entered the game with runners on in 50 games and also 41 outings with high leverage. The Rangers sent forth 204 relievers to the mound for the prior year. The relief pitchers had 15 holds for the prior year (30th in baseball). They compiled 10 saves over the course of last year and missed out on 9 of 19 save opportunities.

Kyle Gibson allowed 73 base hits in 67.1 innings in which he pitched last season. His ERA was 5.35 and he fanned 58 batters. He surrendered 40 ER's last year with a strikeout to walk ratio of 1.9. He allowed 9.8 H/9 (hits per 9 innings) and his WHIP was 1.53. Gibson had a FIP of 5.39 and his ERA+ was 89. Gibson has thrown 1,154 innings and is sitting with 903 punch outs during his MLB career. His earned run average is 4.57 (586 ER's allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.418. He has conceded 1,215 base hits (9.5 hits per 9 innings) with 422 walks. Gibson (69-74 mark in his career) sits with a FIP of 4.36 while going up against 4,995 opposing batters during his time in the majors.

Kansas City recorded 68 long balls over the course of the prior season to go along with 237 RBIs. They hit 97 two-baggers, while getting a free base 172 times as well as notching 248 runs. The Kansas City Royals held an OBP of .309 as well as a batting average of .244 last year. The Royals had a team slugging percentage of .402 and they were recording 4.13 runs per contest (26th in the league). They were called out on strikes on 527 occasions (14th in the league) and recorded 485 base hits.

The Kansas City pitching staff conceded 272 runs for the previous season while having an ERA of 4.30 (247 earned runs relinquished). They relinquished 76 HR's and they relinquished 4.74 runs per 9 innings (13th in the league). The Royals finished with a team WHIP of 1.375 with a FIP of 4.49 as a team over the course of last season. Their K/BB ratio was 2.45 (517 strikeouts against 211 walks). They were ranked 10th in MLB as a pitching staff in total hits given up with 500. Finishing with 20 chances for a save, the Royals accumulated 29 holds and 1 blown save. Kansas City had bullpen pitchers enter the game in 49 save situations and they walked away with 19 saves. Their bullpen pitchers took the field in 53 games with high leverage and 65 outings with runners on. Kansas City bullpen pitchers held an inherited score rate of 30.0% out of 97 inherited base runners. They ranked 1st in MLB with a save rate of 95.0%, and they sent 232 relief pitchers onto the field last season.

Keller earned a K/BB ratio of 2.1 with 35 total K's and an ERA+ of 187. He took the hill for 54.2 innings last season while conceding 6.4 hits per 9 innings. Keller allowed 39 total base hits while surrendering 15 earned runs (2.47 ERA). His WHIP sat at 1.02 and he had a FIP of 3.43 over the course of last year. Thus far in his career, Keller has surrendered 326 base knocks while tallying 253 punch outs in 360 innings. Keller (21-23 career record) is the owner of a 3.50 ERA and has conceded 8.1 hits per 9 innings. He has given up a total of 140 earned runs while holding a WHIP of 1.285 and a FIP of 3.9. His strikeout to walk ratio is 1.85 and he has gone up against 1,507 opposing batters in his MLB career.

So what is Tonights Parlay prediction?

Parlay's Pundit's Pick: Take Kansas City (-149) and under 9 runs

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