Indians eye another beatdown of Royals
With the Indians inching ever-closer to the American League East title, they’re getting contributions from virtually everyone on the roster. That includes tonight’s somewhat unheralded starter.
Rookie Mike Clevinger tackles the Royals at 7:10 p.m. ET, with the Tribe targeting a three-game sweep. Oddsmakers at online sports book Bovada.lv like Terry Francona’s squad to accomplish just that. Kansas City, on the other hand, represents a +145 underdog. The over/under run total rests at nine.
The Indians’ rotation has been a pillar of strength all season – despite injuries to top-flight hurlers such as Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar. Enter Clevinger (2-2, 4.76 ERA), who’s stepped in to provide invaluable depth down the stretch. The righty’s 2-1 with a 3.52 ERA at Progressive Field this year. He’ll face the Royals for the first time.
Meanwhile, Jason Vargas toes the rubber for the defending World Series champions. The lefty’s drawing just his second assignment since returning from Tommy John surgery. Last week, he threw three innings of one-run ball against the White Sox.
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With Vargas continuing to build up his strength, Cleveland possesses a great opportunity to get into Kansas City’s bullpen early. We foresee Clevinger experiencing some struggles, too, making for a relatively high-scoring affair in northern Ohio.
THURSDAY MLB FREE PICK: ROYALS/INDIANS OVER 9 RUNS