The Kansas City Royals and Minnesota Twins will play Saturday afternoon at Target Field. First pitch is at 2:10 p.m. ET. The Twins are -180 moneyline favorites and the game total is 8.5.
Kansas City (6-20 SU and 9-17 RL) will start right-hander Brad Keller (2-2 with a 3.96 ERA in five games) in game three.
Minnesota (15-11 SU and 15-11 RL) will send right-hander Sonny Gray (3-0 with a 0.62 ERA in five games) to the mound to make the start tomorrow.
Kansas City has a few talented ballplayers, but it's still in last place in the AL Central. Already nine games out of first place in the division, is it time to write off the Royals in 2023?
KC scores 3.19 runs per game (29th) and hits .215 (30th) with a .609 OPS (30th). It's hit 19 homers (26th) and stolen 13 bags (22nd) this season. 1B Vinnie Pasquantino leads Kansas City in hits (26), batting average (.283), OBP (.371), and home runs (5), while RF MJ Melendez paces the team in RBI (10). The Royals pitching staff has posted a 5.38 ERA (28th) and a 1.41 WHIP (25th) with five quality starts.
419 feet. Long gone. #WelcomeToTheCity pic.twitter.com/b8TkHScAt7
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) April 28, 2023
The 27-year-old Keller will take the bump in Saturday's matinee game. He lasted only four innings in his last start, surrendering four runs on four hits and six walks versus Arizona. His 20:19 K-BB ratio is concerning at this point and is something to watch in Saturday's matchup with the first-place Twins.