Cleveland Guardians vs. Kansas City Royals Prediction, Preview, Picks & Odds - 4/9/2022

Game time: 4:10 p.m. ET

Venue: Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, MO

Where to watch: Bally Sports Great Lakes, Bally Sports Kansas City

DraftKings: Check back later

BetMGM: Check back later

Caesars: Check back later

Guardians: 0-1

Royals: 1-0

He had only one hit in his Major League debut, but if it wasn’t the biggest Welcome to the Show moment for Bobby Witt Jr., we’re not sure what else could be done there. The top prospect in baseball delivered the go-ahead RBI in the bottom of the eighth inning on Thursday for the Kansas City Royals’ 3-1 win over the Cleveland Guardians in the season opener for both teams.

The series picks back up Saturday for the second game of the four-game set that wraps up on Monday.

Witt delivered a two-out double in the bottom of the eighth inning to give the Royals the lead late in what was an entertaining pitching duel between Zach Greinke and Shane Bieber. Witt sent Triston McKenzie’s high fastball to the left field corner for his first MLB hit.

"You couldn't have scripted that any better," Royals manager Mike Matheny said with a grin. "This isn't one he's going to forget, and I probably won't, either."

Kansas City’s bats were kept quiet for the most of the afternoon given how Bieber, pitching for the first time in almost a full year coming off a shoulder injury, went 4.2 innings and allowed just three hits while giving up one run. Greinke, in his return to Kansas City, was just as effective as ever going 5.2 innings and allowing just one run on five hits.

"I could kind of see it coming a little bit with the way the game was going," said Greinke, who signed a one-year deal to return to the club that drafted him 20 years ago. "It felt like it was going to be a special day."

The Royals were actually one of a few underdogs that cashed on Opening Day with the line going as high as +140 on some books. Whether or not that can translate for the rest of the weekend is another question, but the Royals got off to a good start. Pitching was great, especially for those coming in for Greinke, and the timely hitting was just what the doctor ordered.

But the Guardians didn’t have the best night at the plate for those not named Jose Ramirez. The All-Star who had recently signed a new five-year deal to stay in Cleveland, drove in the only run for the Guardians. Much like last season, it can’t be just Ramirez providing offense. Cleveland got seven hits, two of them at the leadoff spot from Myles Straw, but that was it. Bieber did everything he could to keep that game close.

“I do think we're gonna have to do things different,” Guardians hitting coach Chris Valaika said. “We do have some guys that can hit home runs, but we're gonna have to move the ball all over the field. We're gonna have to bunt. We're gonna have to hit and run. We're gonna have to do little things to help us win games.”

And that’s the way the cookie crumbles. The Guardians should expect a strong debut outing from Zach Plesac, taking on Brad Keller on the Royals’ side. Plesac went 10-6 last season with a 4.67 ERA in 142 innings. The 27-year-old is in his fourth season and if the Guardians are going to do anything as it pertains to the success of this season, it comes down to those working the rotation at the top. Bieber did his part on Thursday, now it’s Plesac’s turn.

Not that I think Keller can’t get the job done, but the home crowd definitely fueled Greinke’s return to Kansas City in what was a dominant outing that took him to the sixth inning. I trust Kansas City’s offense a bit more in this series, but I think Cleveland needs to get it together eventually and getting back on track on a Saturday game will help matters. Guardians win 5-3

The Guardians are 45-26 (+17.5 net games on the money line) after scoring two runs or less the previous game.

The Guardians are 936-792 (-35.7 net games on ML) against division opponents since 1997.

The Royals are 41-60 (-10.2 net games) as an underdog of +100 to +150 the past three seasons.

The Royals are 47-51 (+7.2 net games) following a win over the last three seasons.

The under is 49-22 when the Royals play day games the past three seasons.

Guardians:
Myles Straw (R) CF
Amed Rosario (R) LF
Jose Ramirez (S) 3B
Franmil Reyes (R) DH
Bobby Bradley (L) 1B
Yu Chang (R) 2B
Steven Kwan (L) RF
Austin Hedges (R) C
Andres Gimenez (L) SS

Royals:
Whit Merrifield (R) RF
Bobby Witt Jr. (R) 3B
Andrew Benintendi (L) LF
Salvador Perez (R) C
Carlos Santana (S) 1B
Hunter Dozier (R) DH
Adalberto Mondesi (S) SS
Michael A. Taylor (R) CF
Nicky Lopez (L) 2B

CLE: Zach Plesac
KC: Brad Keller

Batting average: Two tied -- .500

Hits: Myles Straw -- 2

Home runs: N/A

RBI: Jose Ramirez -- 1

Wins: N/A

Saves: N/A

ERA: Shane Bieber -- 1.93

Batting average: Nicky Lopez -- .500

Hits: Five tied -- 1

Home runs: N/A

RBI: Three tied -- 1

Wins: Scott Barlow -- 1

Saves: N/A

ERA: Zack Greinke -- 1.59