The Cleveland Guardians are set to clash with the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on September 4, 2024, beginning at 7:40 PM ET under a clear sky. Ben Lively, who holds a 3.916 ERA, will be the starting pitcher for the Guardians. His counterpart from the Royals, Seth Lugo, enters the contest with an impressive 3.117 ERA.

In the 2024 AL Central Division, the Guardians currently sit in second place with an 80-59 record, boasting a .580 win percentage and holding a divisional record of 24-20. They have been strong in recent outings, capturing six of their last ten games and are riding a three-game winning streak. Their home and away records stand at 43-25 and 37-34 respectively, with stronger performances in night games where they’ve secured 47 wins against 33 in day games. On the offensive front, the Guardians have scored 635 runs while conceding 555.

On the other side, the Royals rank sixth in the division, with a record of 75-65, and a win percentage of .540. They have a divisional advantage with 29 wins and 16 losses but have struggled recently, winning only three out of their last ten games and currently suffering from a seven-game losing streak. At home, they are 41-30 compared to a near even 34-35 on the road. The Royals have also scored 666 runs but allowed 581 in return.

As for the betting odds, the game presents a point spread of -1.5 and an over/under of 8.5. The moneyline favors the home team, Kansas City Royals, at -139, while the Cleveland Guardians are listed at +118. This suggests a slight edge to the Royals, indicating that bettors leaning towards a Kansas City win might find some value here, especially considering their strong divisional records despite recent struggles.