Picks, Prediction for Royals vs Cardinals on Tuesday, May 30
There are several question marks on the mound Tuesday when the Kansas City Royals and St. Louis Cardinals battle at Busch Stadium. The usually soft-hitting Royals smoked the Cardinals 7-0 in Game 1 of this series and won back-to-back games for the first time in weeks.
The Cardinals are heavy favorites on the MLB odds board on the moneyline and on the runline.
Royals a Bad Runline Bet
The Kansas City Royals managed to win and cover the spread in Game 1, but neither outcome is the norm for this struggling franchise. The Royals’ MLB betting results are so bad that KC has the second-worst record in the MLB at 21-34. With a return on investment (ROI) of 26.86%, the Royals are best avoided most nights.
KC is 5-11 ATS following a win and a risky MLB bet on Tuesday to repeat their Game 1 success.
Cardinals Continue to Underperform
I can’t remember a recent preseason favorite on the MLB lines to win their division that has underperformed as severely as the St. Louis Cardinals are this season. Maybe the 2022 Chicago White Sox, but they at least showed signs of life. The Cardinals are a mess, and the results are not getting better.
As home favorites, the Cardinals cover the MLB spread less than 27% of the time and 33% of the time as favorites at any venue.
Starting Pitchers
Zack Greinke (1-5, 4.55 ERA) vs Miles Mikolas (3-1, 4.23)
Zack Greinke and Miles Mikolas are two pitchers I avoided like the plague earlier this season. At the end of April, Grienke had an ERA of 6.10 while Mikolas saw his eclipse 10.00 not too long ago.
Zack Greinke stories never disappoint. pic.twitter.com/ZLZmTMiKzx
— Jordan Bonadona (@JordanBonadona) May 26, 2023
However, they have been pitching much better since the start of May.
This month, Grienke has a 2.73 ERA with a solid K/BB rate of 19/2. Meanwhile, Mikolas has a 2.40 ERA in May and is coming off a seven-inning shutout against the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday.
Mikolas was an automatic fade on my MLB picks earlier this season but is doing impressive work on the bump recently. Grienke, on the other hand, may have dropped his ERA this month, but he allowed multiple runs to score in three of his last four games.
Royals vs Cardinals Head-to Head
The Royals and Cardinals occupy the fifth-place slot in their respective divisions, and neither seems capable of climbing out of the holes they’ve dug.
Since the start of the 2021 season, the Cards have dominated this series with an 8-3 straight-up record. However, the Royals are 5-6 against the spread in that span and 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings.
Royals vs Cardinals Game Information
- Game: Royals (17-38) vs Cardinals (24-32)
- Location Busch Stadium, St. Louis, MO
- Day/Time: Tuesday, May 30, 7:45 p.m. ET
- Royals vs Cardinals Live Stream: MLB.tv
Royals vs Cardinals Betting Lines
Over/Under Pick
Both starters have turned a corner after terrible starts. But I’m carrying trauma from watching their horrible performances early and can’t trust either to keep the game in check. With the total at nine, this game will soar over that mark.
Pick: Over 9 (-105)
Moneyline Pick
The Cardinals may have a better team on paper, but the betting results and Mikolas’ past struggles are red flags for me. I like the value the Royals bring here as underdogs to win their second straight game and take this series.
Pick: Royals +165
