The Royals and Cardinals play the second game of their three-game series on Saturday, May 16.
St. Louis is a -118 moneyline favorite, while Kansas City is -102 on DraftKings Sportsbook. The game total is set at over/under nine runs.
Let’s get into a pick and prediction for this Royals vs. Cardinals game.
Royals vs. Cardinals prediction, preview
It’s been an ugly stretch for the Royals, who enter the weekend series in last place in the AL Central. They lost four straight, including a sweep against the White Sox. The road trip continues with an interleague matchup against the Cardinals.
Noah Cameron is on the mound for the second game of the series on Saturday. After two great starts to begin the season, Cameron has collapsed into an unreliable starting pitcher. He’s allowed at least three earned runs in five straight outings, most of which are against weak offenses (Tigers, Angels, Athletics, White Sox, Yankees). Aside from the Yankees, the Cardinals are the second best run-producing team in this group.
St. Louis hasn’t been consistent lately, however. Following a six-game win streak, the team is 5-5 over the last 10 games. Returning home will be beneficial for the club, although they’ve played better on the road this season. Small sample sizes can misconstrue stats.
Kyle Leahy is making his first starting following a scoreless five-inning performance against the Padres. He’s allowed one earned run across his last two starts (10.1 innings). His entire season hasn’t been as great, though. He has a 4.31 ERA, which was 5.52 before his last two starts. Leahy allowed at least two earned runs in his first six starts.
Royals vs. Cardinals Pick, Best Bet
The Cardinals are banking on Leahy continuing his good performances. If he can limit the Royals to two or fewer runs, that should be enough for the Cardinals to win.
St. Louis’ offense will have a great day against Cameron. The Cardinals just need to limit the damage on the other end.
