July 5, 2023, 09:10 MLB Game: Kansas City vs. Tampa Bay
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Kansas City vs Tampa Bay Game Review and Analysis
Kansas City
Alec Marsh (6 wins, 5 losses, 4.19 ERA) is aiming for his 7th win of the season. Marsh secured a victory in a home game against Cleveland on the 29th with an impressive performance of 6 innings, 4 hits, and 1 run. His pitching shows a significant difference between away and home games. Given that he has pitched over 6 innings and allowed 1 or fewer runs in his last two home games, expectations are high for this game as well. Despite scoring 4 runs against Pepiot and Armstrong in the previous game, Kansas City's batting lineup struggles to perform well at home. Particularly, the team finds it difficult to manage the game without hitting long balls. The bullpen allowed 1 run in 3 innings, with closer James McArthur delivering a decisive performance with 1.2 scoreless innings.
Tampa Bay
Zack Eflin (4 wins, 5 losses, 3.92 ERA) is aiming for his 5th win of the season. Eflin secured a victory on the 29th in a home game against Washington, pitching 6 innings with 4 hits and no runs, which is fortunate given his previous two poor performances. His recent away game performance has been subpar, surrendering 4 or more runs in the last two games. Additionally, he performed poorly in a 3-inning, 5-run game against Kansas City last year, which raises concerns. In the previous game, Tampa Bay's batting lineup only managed to score 2 runs, including a solo home run by Isaac Paredes, against Wacha and Stratton. Their devastating performance in scoring positions, with just 1 hit in 11 at-bats, determined the outcome. Missing scoring opportunities in the later part of the game was particularly painful. The bullpen utilization, including the deployment of Sean Armstrong, the team's worst bullpen pitcher, who gave up 2 runs to tie the game, highlights the struggles of a low-budget team.
Comment
The factor deciding this series is Kansas City's bullpen. Both starting pitchers are expected to perform well in this game. The game is highly likely to turn into a bullpen battle, but Eflin's recent poor away performance and bad memories from last year cannot be ignored. Kansas City Royals have an edge in pitching, positioning them closer to victory.
Recommended Betting
[[Win/Loss]]: Kansas City Win
[[Handicap]]: +1.5 Kansas City Win
[[O/U]]: Over 8.5 ▲