Twins vs. Royals Prediction, Computer Picks, Odds & Pitching Matchup 9/14/2022

Michael A. Taylor is on the brink of his 99th hit of the season for the Kansas City Royals (57-84) as they get set to take on the Minnesota Twins (70-70) on Wednesday. The Royals enter the matchup as +168 underdogs on the moneyline, and action gets underway from Target Field at 7:40 PM ET. Sonny Gray starts for Minnesota while Zack Greinke is Kansas City’s starter for the contest.

Twins vs. Royals Spread and Betting Line

Computer Predictions for Twins vs. Royals

After analyzing all of the key stats and trends for this matchup, our best bet is the Royals on the moneyline at +168. Our computer picks see the scoring going over the total of 7.5 runs.

Our computer pick: Kansas City Royals (+168) and Over (7.5)

Twins vs. Royals Game Info

• Minnesota Twins probable starting pitcher: Sonny Gray
• Kansas City Royals probable starting pitcher: Zack Greinke
• Game Day: Wednesday, September 14, 2022
• Game Time: 7:40 PM ET
• Location: Minneapolis, Minnesota
• Stadium: Target Field

Minnesota Twins vs Kansas City Royals Pitching Matchup

Twins Starter Sonny Gray

• Gray (7-4) gets the starting nod for the Twins in his 23rd start of the season. He has a 3.09 ERA in 110 2/3 innings pitched, with 108 strikeouts.
• In his most recent time out on Thursday against the New York Yankees, the right-hander tossed six innings, giving up two earned runs while surrendering seven hits.
• In 22 games this season, the 32-year-old has a 3.09 ERA and 8.8 strikeouts per nine innings, while giving up a batting average of .224 to opposing hitters.
• Gray has collected eight quality starts this year.
• Gray will try to pick up his 14th outing of five or more innings pitched this season. He averages 5.0 innings per appearance.
• He will face a Royals offense that is hitting .242 as a unit (14th in MLB). It is also slugging a collective .377 (26th in MLB) with 120 total home runs (26th in MLB).
• Gray has a 0.75 ERA and a 0.500 WHIP against the Royals this season in 12 innings pitched, allowing a .122 batting average over two appearances.

Royals Starter Zack Greinke

• Greinke (4-8) will take to the mound for the Royals and make his 23rd start of the season.
• The right-hander’s last appearance was on Thursday, when he threw six innings against the Cleveland Guardians, giving up one earned run while allowing six hits.
• The 38-year-old has pitched to a 4.00 ERA this season with 5.2 strikeouts per nine innings compared to 1.7 walks per nine across 22 games.
• He has earned a quality start seven times in 22 starts this season.
• Greinke has started 22 games this season, and he’s lasted five or more innings 16 times. He averages 5.1 innings per appearance.
• The Twins have scored 611 runs this season, which ranks 17th in MLB. They have 1179 hits, 12th in baseball, with 162 home runs (12th in the league).
• The right-hander has allowed the Twins to go 21-for-62 with four home runs and seven RBI in 15 innings this season.

Twins Betting Picks & Insights

• This season, the Twins have won 50 out of the 81 games, or 61.7%, in which they’ve been favored.
• Minnesota has a record of 8-1, a 88.9% win rate, when favored by -201 or more by bookmakers this season.
• The moneyline for this contest implies a 66.8% chance of a victory for the Twins.
• Minnesota and its opponents have gone over the total this season in 71 of their 145 opportunities.
• The Twins are 68-77-0 against the spread in their 145 chances this season.

Royals Betting Picks & Insights

• The Royals have been victorious in 47, or 39.5%, of the 119 contests they have been chosen as underdogs in this season.
• This year, Kansas City has won seven of 32 games when listed as at least +168 or worse on the moneyline.
• Oddsmakers have implied with the moneyline set for this matchup that the Royals have a 37.3% chance of pulling out a win.
• Kansas City and their opponents have hit the over in 70 of their 145 games with a total set by oddsmakers this season.
• The Royals are 70-75-0 against the spread in their 145 games with a line set by sportsbooks this season.

Twins Leaders & Batting Stats

• The Twins best hitter so far this season is Luis Arraez, who’s hitting at a team-leading .319 clip along with eight homers and 46 RBI.
• Arraez ranks 199th in home runs and 144th in RBI among all batters in MLB.
• Arraez carries a six-game hitting streak into this matchup. In his last 10 outings he is hitting .326 with six doubles, a walk and an RBI.
• Carlos Correa is hitting .280 with 19 doubles, a triple, 20 home runs and 53 walks.
• Correa ranks 51st in homers in the majors, and 82nd in RBI.
• Gio Urshela is hitting .272 with 23 doubles, three triples, 12 home runs and 32 walks.
• Urshela will look to build on his six-game hitting in this game. In his last 10 games he is batting .308 with a double, a home run, three walks and two RBI.
• Max Kepler is hitting .227 with 18 doubles, a triple, nine home runs and 49 walks.

Royals Leaders & Batting Stats

• Bobby Witt Jr. leads the squad with a batting average of .249, while pacing the Royals in home runs, with 20 and runs batted in with 72.
• Witt Jr. ranks 51st in home runs and 38th in RBI among all hitters in MLB.
• Witt Jr. takes a hitting streak of five games into this game. During his last five outings he is hitting .333 with three doubles, two walks and two RBI.
• MJ Melendez is batting .218 with 16 doubles, two triples, 15 home runs and 58 walks.
• Melendez is 94th overall in homers and 108th in RBI this season.
• Salvador Perez has 20 home runs, tops in the clubhouse.
• Taylor is hitting .269 with nine doubles, three triples, nine home runs and 33 walks.