Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Kansas City Royals Best Bet: Will Ryne Nelson Struggle Against Royals' Bats?
The Arizona Diamondbacks will wrap up their series with the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night. Can Ryne Nelson and the D-backs steal one in KC, or will he struggle against this loaded lineup? Ben Rajavuori looks to fade the Arizona pitcher in his Diamondbacks vs. Royals best bet.
Ben Rajavuori - July 24, 2024, 5:22 PM EDT
5 minArizona Diamondbacks vs. Kansas City Royals Best Bet: Will Ryne Nelson Struggle Against Royals' Bats?
The Kansas City Royals and Arizona Diamondbacks close out a three game series tonight from Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City. The series is a rubber match heading into game three, as the Royals took game one by a score of 10–4 and the Diamondbacks responded yesterday with a 6–2 win.
DIAMONDBACKS VS. ROYALS DATE, TIME, AND WHERE TO WATCH
- Date: July 24, 2024
- Start Time: 8:10 p.m. ET
- Where to Watch: MLB Extra Innings
Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Kansas City Royals Best Bet
The Royals are slowly creeping up in the AL Central, as they have gone 12–8 over their last 20 games and now sit at 56–46, which is five games back from first place.
Meanwhile, the Arizona Diamondbacks have gone 13–7 over their last 20 games and now sit at 52–50, which is nine games back from the Dodgers in the NL West. These two teams both sit in third place in their division and have similar records, making this a big series closer tonight. What should we expect in this one?
Ryne Nelson gets the start for the Diamondbacks tonight. Nelson has struggled this season, sporting a 4.78 ERA with 22 walks in 92 innings. Nelson has given up a .286 batting average to his opponents, which is very below average for a starting pitcher. He also struggles to get strikeouts. If there is a bright side for Nelson, it is that he has pitched slightly better on the road this year, sporting a 3.58 ERA on the road. However, tonight he faces a team that has been dialed in against right-handed pitching.
Over the last 30 days, the Kansas City Royals are second in baseball with a .273 average against right-handed pitching. They also have a 17.5% strikeout rate over that time, which is the best in baseball. Ryne Nelson will probably struggle heavily tonight against this lineup.
On the other side, Michael Wacha gets to start for the Royals. Wacha has a 3.55 ERA this season and a 1.2 whip. His strength has been his pitching in Kauffman stadium, as he is sporting a 2.96 ERA in eight starts at home this year.
Both teams have been doing well over the last 20 games, but the Royals have been absolutely crushing right-handed pitching over the last month and have a lot of momentum at home, where they are 35–19 on the season. Only one team in baseball has been better at home this year, the Phillies. Wacha has also been much better at home, making this a perfect storm for the Royals to win this game and take the series tonight.
Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Kansas City Royals Betting Pick
Pick: Royals ML -120 CLICK HERE TO SEE WHICH SPORTSBOOK HAS THE BEST ODDS
Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Kansas City Royals System Projections - July 24th
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