Kansas City Royals vs Cleveland Guardians

atRoyals at Guardians

August 28 · 7:10 PM EDT

· CLE -138 · O/U 8

Royals visit Cleveland with October slipping away

The Royals roll into Progressive Field with their pitching staff of Mason Black, Noah Cameron, Steven Cruz, Jose Cuas, Randy Dobnak, Craig Kimbrel, Alex Lange and Seth Lugo ready to be leaned on in a game that matters more with each passing week.

Keys to the game

Cleveland countering with Logan Allen, Tanner Bibee, Joey Cantillo, Matt Festa, Hunter Gaddis, Foster Griffin, Tim Herrin and Colin Holderman gives the Guardians a deep pool of arms to mix and match against a Kansas City lineup that will see different looks all game.
Kansas City's group blends a veteran closer presence in Kimbrel with younger arms like Cameron and Cruz, a mix that will test how manager decisions unfold in tight innings at Progressive Field.
Cleveland's staff features multiple starters in Bibee, Allen and Cantillo alongside bullpen options like Gaddis and Herrin, giving the Guardians flexibility to adjust their approach depending on how the game develops.

Our predictionLow confidence

Where they standLast 5Last 5Record

Kansas City Royals5th in the AL Central, 11.5 backLWWWWL123-45Away

Cleveland Guardians2nd in the AL Central, 2.5 backWWWWWW731-34Home

Our pick, projected final

Royals4

Guardians5

Who the model favours

Our model’s chance each side takes this one, before anyone has played a minute of it.

Kansas City Royals

45%

Cleveland Guardians

55%

Guardians to win

Projected starting lineups

Taken from each club's most recent lineup. The official cards post 2 to 3 hours before first pitch.

Kansas City Royalsvs RHP

Carter Jensen#22LHB ▲Catcher

Bobby Witt Jr.#7RHB.290Shortstop

Jac Caglianone#14LHB ▲.276hotRight field

Salvador Perez#13RHBDesignated hitter

Vinnie Pasquantino#9LHB ▲.242hotFirst base

Nick Loftin#12RHBThird base

John Rave#16LHB ▲Left field

Isaac Collins#1SHB ▲Second base

Kyle Isbel#28LHB ▲Center field

Cleveland Guardiansvs RHP

Steven Kwan#38LHB ▲.275hotLeft field

Travis Bazzana#37LHB ▲Second base

José Ramírez#11SHB ▲Designated hitter

Patrick Bailey#16SHB ▲Catcher

Nathaniel Lowe#46LHB ▲First base

Angel Martínez#1SHB ▲Right field

Angel Genao#17SHB ▲.288Third base

Petey Halpin#0LHB ▲Center field

Brayan Rocchio#4SHB ▲Shortstop

Injury report

Who is unavailable, in each club’s own words to the league. A day-to-day designation still allows a start, so a name here is not always a scratch; an injured-list stint is.

Kansas City Royals5 listed

Beck WayRelief pitcher · is on the 15-day injured list. Back 2026-08-28.

Connor SeaboldRelief pitcher · is on the 60-day injured list. Back 2026-08-30.

Maikel GarciaThird base · is on the 10-day injured list. Back 2026-09-01.

Michael MasseySecond base · is on the 7-day injured list. Back 2026-09-02.

Carlos EstevezRelief pitcher · is on the 60-day injured list. Back 2026-09-05.

Cleveland Guardians4 listed

Chase DeLauterRight field · is day to day. Back 2026-08-28.

Rhys HoskinsFirst base · is on the 10-day injured list. Back 2026-08-29.

Slade CecconiStarting pitcher · is on the 15-day injured list. Back 2026-09-01.

Shawn ArmstrongRelief pitcher · is on the 60-day injured list. Back 2026-09-23.

League standings

The full ladder, with both clubs marked.

AL East

#ClubW-LPCTStreak

1Tampa Bay Rays79-54.594W1

2New York Yankees75-57.568W1

3Boston Red Sox73-60.549L1

4Toronto Blue Jays65-69.485W1

5Baltimore Orioles65-69.485L1

AL Central

#ClubW-LPCTStreak

1Chicago White Sox70-63.526W2

2Cleveland Guardians68-66.507W7

3Minnesota Twins64-70.478L2

4Detroit Tigers62-71.466L1

5Kansas City Royals59-75.440L1

AL West

#ClubW-LPCTStreak

1Houston Astros66-67.496L1

2Texas Rangers66-68.493L2

3Seattle Mariners64-70.478L1

4Oakland Athletics53-81.396W2

5Los Angeles Angels52-82.388L4

NL East

#ClubW-LPCTStreak

1Atlanta Braves78-55.586W3

2Philadelphia Phillies74-60.552W1

3Miami Marlins68-66.507W1

4Washington Nationals63-73.463W1

5New York Mets60-73.451L1

NL Central

#ClubW-LPCTStreak

1Milwaukee Brewers82-51.617W1

2Chicago Cubs76-58.567L2

3St. Louis Cardinals67-68.496W1

4Pittsburgh Pirates65-70.481L1

5Cincinnati Reds63-71.470W1

NL West

#ClubW-LPCTStreak

1Los Angeles Dodgers80-53.602L2

2San Diego Padres72-62.537W1

3Arizona Diamondbacks71-63.530W2

4San Francisco Giants54-79.406L1

5Colorado Rockies52-82.388L1

Royals at Guardians

Kansas City

Royals

Cleveland

Guardians

Post Game SummaryStat Savant

atRoyals at Guardians

August 28 · 7:10 PM EDT

· CLE -138 · O/U 8

Royals visit Cleveland with October slipping away

Keys to the game

Cleveland countering with Logan Allen, Tanner Bibee, Joey Cantillo, Matt Festa, Hunter Gaddis, Foster Griffin, Tim Herrin and Colin Holderman gives the Guardians a deep pool of arms to mix and match against a Kansas City lineup that will see different looks all game.
Kansas City's group blends a veteran closer presence in Kimbrel with younger arms like Cameron and Cruz, a mix that will test how manager decisions unfold in tight innings at Progressive Field.
Cleveland's staff features multiple starters in Bibee, Allen and Cantillo alongside bullpen options like Gaddis and Herrin, giving the Guardians flexibility to adjust their approach depending on how the game develops.

Our predictionLow confidence

Where they standLast 5Last 5Record

Kansas City Royals5th in the AL Central, 11.5 backLWWWWL123-45Away

Cleveland Guardians2nd in the AL Central, 2.5 backWWWWWW731-34Home

Our pick, projected final

Royals4

Guardians5

Who the model favours

Our model’s chance each side takes this one, before anyone has played a minute of it.

Kansas City Royals

45%

Cleveland Guardians

55%

Guardians to win

Projected starting lineups

Taken from each club's most recent lineup. The official cards post 2 to 3 hours before first pitch.

Kansas City Royalsvs RHP

Carter Jensen#22LHB ▲Catcher

Bobby Witt Jr.#7RHB.290Shortstop

Jac Caglianone#14LHB ▲.276hotRight field

Salvador Perez#13RHBDesignated hitter

Vinnie Pasquantino#9LHB ▲.242hotFirst base

Nick Loftin#12RHBThird base

John Rave#16LHB ▲Left field

Isaac Collins#1SHB ▲Second base

Kyle Isbel#28LHB ▲Center field

Cleveland Guardiansvs RHP

Steven Kwan#38LHB ▲.275hotLeft field

Travis Bazzana#37LHB ▲Second base

José Ramírez#11SHB ▲Designated hitter

Patrick Bailey#16SHB ▲Catcher

Nathaniel Lowe#46LHB ▲First base

Angel Martínez#1SHB ▲Right field

Angel Genao#17SHB ▲.288Third base

Petey Halpin#0LHB ▲Center field

Brayan Rocchio#4SHB ▲Shortstop

Injury report

Who is unavailable, in each club’s own words to the league. A day-to-day designation still allows a start, so a name here is not always a scratch; an injured-list stint is.

Kansas City Royals5 listed

Beck WayRelief pitcher · is on the 15-day injured list. Back 2026-08-28.

Connor SeaboldRelief pitcher · is on the 60-day injured list. Back 2026-08-30.

Maikel GarciaThird base · is on the 10-day injured list. Back 2026-09-01.

Michael MasseySecond base · is on the 7-day injured list. Back 2026-09-02.

Carlos EstevezRelief pitcher · is on the 60-day injured list. Back 2026-09-05.

Cleveland Guardians4 listed

Chase DeLauterRight field · is day to day. Back 2026-08-28.

Rhys HoskinsFirst base · is on the 10-day injured list. Back 2026-08-29.

Slade CecconiStarting pitcher · is on the 15-day injured list. Back 2026-09-01.

Shawn ArmstrongRelief pitcher · is on the 60-day injured list. Back 2026-09-23.

League standings

The full ladder, with both clubs marked.

AL East

#ClubW-LPCTStreak

1Tampa Bay Rays79-54.594W1

2New York Yankees75-57.568W1

3Boston Red Sox73-60.549L1

4Toronto Blue Jays65-69.485W1

5Baltimore Orioles65-69.485L1

AL Central

#ClubW-LPCTStreak

1Chicago White Sox70-63.526W2

2Cleveland Guardians68-66.507W7

3Minnesota Twins64-70.478L2

4Detroit Tigers62-71.466L1

5Kansas City Royals59-75.440L1

AL West

#ClubW-LPCTStreak

1Houston Astros66-67.496L1

2Texas Rangers66-68.493L2

3Seattle Mariners64-70.478L1

4Oakland Athletics53-81.396W2

5Los Angeles Angels52-82.388L4

NL East

#ClubW-LPCTStreak

1Atlanta Braves78-55.586W3

2Philadelphia Phillies74-60.552W1

3Miami Marlins68-66.507W1

4Washington Nationals63-73.463W1

5New York Mets60-73.451L1

NL Central

#ClubW-LPCTStreak

1Milwaukee Brewers82-51.617W1

2Chicago Cubs76-58.567L2

3St. Louis Cardinals67-68.496W1

4Pittsburgh Pirates65-70.481L1

5Cincinnati Reds63-71.470W1

NL West

#ClubW-LPCTStreak

1Los Angeles Dodgers80-53.602L2

2San Diego Padres72-62.537W1

3Arizona Diamondbacks71-63.530W2

4San Francisco Giants54-79.406L1

5Colorado Rockies52-82.388L1

Kansas City Royals vs Cleveland Guardians — Aug 28, 2026

Royals visit Cleveland with October slipping away

Keys to the game

Who the model favours

Projected starting lineups

Injury report

League standings

Kansas City Royals vs Cleveland Guardians — Aug 28, 2026

Royals visit Cleveland with October slipping away

Keys to the game

Who the model favours

Projected starting lineups

Injury report

League standings