Texas Rangers vs Kansas City Royals Prediction, 4/3/2021 MLB Pick, Tips and Odds

Game: Texas Rangers vs Kansas City Royals

Date: Saturday, April 3, 2021

Location: Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO

TV: Bally Sports Kansas City

Odds/Point Spread: Texas (+135) Kansas City (-208)

Kauffman Stadium is the site where Mike Minor 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 Saturday. The Rangers open this game at +135 while the Royals are coming in at -208. The total is set at 8.5. The pitchers who are expected to start are Jordan Lyles and Mike Minor.

As a unit, the Texas Rangers notched 3.7 runs per game, which had them at 29th in the league. They earned 224 runs scored while holding a team OBP of .285. The Rangers accounted for 80 two-baggers as a squad and knocked 62 baseballs out of the park. They amassed 204 runs batted in and 420 hits during the previous year, while their team batting average sat at .217. Texas was slugging .364 and struck out 548 times, while drawing a walk on 167 occasions.

The Rangers held a team earned run average of 5.02 last season (23rd in the league), and the staff struck out 489 hitters. They accrued a K/BB ratio of 2.07 and their pitching staff held a collective WHIP of 1.39. Rangers pitchers gave up 81 home runs and 312 runs in total (5th in the league). Their pitching staff walked 236 opposing hitters and their FIP was 4.88 as a team over the course of last season. Rangers relief pitchers stepped onto the hill with players on base in 50 games in addition to 41 games with high leverage. The bullpen had a total of 15 holds for the prior year (30th in MLB). The Rangers relievers recorded a save rate of 52.6% and entered the game in 36 save situations. They accumulated 10 saves for the previous season and did not convert 9 out of their 19 save chances. The bullpen inherited 95 base runners during the previous year with 32.6% of them ended up crossing the plate. The Rangers had sent 204 relief pitchers to the hill over the course of last season.

Jordan Lyles allowed 67 hits in 57.2 innings in which he pitched last season. His ERA sat at 7.02 and he fanned 36 opposing hitters. He allowed 45 earned runs last season with a K/BB ratio of 1.6. He gave up 10.5 hits per nine innings and his WHIP was at 1.561. Lyles had a FIP of 5.95 and an ERA+ of 68. Lyles (44-66 career win-loss mark) has earned a FIP of 4.60 while he has gone up against 4,276 opposing hitters during his time in the majors. He has given up 1,058 hits (9.8 hits per 9 innings) and has 338 free passes. His earned run average is 5.22 (561 earned runs allowed) and he has a career WHIP of 1.443. Lyles has pitched in 967 innings and has racked up 732 strikeouts thus far in his career.

The Kansas City Royals accounted for an OBP of .309 and a batting average of .244 over the course of last season. They were called out on strikes on 527 instances (14th in baseball) and had 485 base knocks. Kansas City accumulated 68 HRs over the course of last year to go along with 237 runs batted in. The Royals had a slugging percentage of .402 and they earned 4.13 runs per outing (26th in baseball). They hit 97 doubles, while getting a free base 172 times and earning 248 runs.

The Royals held a team WHIP of 1.375 and had a FIP of 4.49 as a unit in the previous season. Their strikeout to walk ratio was 2.45 (517 strikeouts against 211 walks). They were sitting at 10th in MLB as a pitching staff in total hits relinquished with 500. They allowed 76 dingers and they relinquished 4.74 runs per 9 innings (13th in the league). The Kansas City pitching staff surrendered 272 runs over the course of the prior season while having an ERA of 4.30 (247 earned runs relinquished). Kansas City relief pitchers held an inherited score percentage of 30.0% out of their 97 inherited runners. Their bullpen pitchers stepped onto the hill in 53 games with high leverage and 65 contests with runners on. Wrapping up the year with 20 opportunities for a save, the Royals earned 29 holds and 1 blown save. They were ranked 1st in MLB holding a save percentage of 95.0%, and they sent 232 bullpen pitchers onto the diamond last year. Kansas City called on relievers to enter the contest in 49 save situations and they came away with 19 saves.

Minor gave up 15 hits while he conceded 13 earned runs (5.48 ERA). His WHIP was 1.03 and he had a FIP of 4.22 last year. He threw 21.1 innings last year while surrendering 6.3 H/9. Minor had a K/BB ratio of 3.9 with 27 total strikeouts and he was the owner of an ERA+ of 75. In his pro baseball career, Minor has conceded 1,074 base hits while he has earned 1,048 strikeouts in 1,152 innings. He has given up 510 earned runs while holding a WHIP of 1.223 and a FIP of 4.0. He has a K/BB ratio of 3.13 and he has faced 4,780 opposing hitters so far in his pro baseball career. Minor (71-66 win-loss mark in his career) has earned a 3.98 ERA and has allowed 8.4 hits per nine innings.

Who will win tonight's baseball game against the spread?

Tony Sink's Pick: Take Texas (+135)

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