Tuesday’s Major League Baseball action kicks off with an AL Central battle between the Kansas City Royals and the Cleveland Guardians.
Kansas City took Monday’s season opener by a score of 4-2, pulling to within a half game of the top spot in the division early on in the 2026 season.
This game has been moved up due to freezing temperatures expected Tuesday night, so bettors and MLB fans get a little afternoon baseball as a present.
Noah Cameron (1.80 ERA) is set to make his second start of the 2026 season against Cleveland righty Gavin Williams, who is 1-1 with a 2.25 ERA after tossing seven scoreless innings in his last start against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Let’s take a look at the odds, a player prop to bet and my prediction for this afternoon matchup on April 7.
Royals vs. Guardians Odds, Run Line and Total
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook
Run Line
- Royals -1.5 (+165)
- Guardians +1.5 (-201)
Moneyline
- Royals: -102
- Guardians: -118
Total
- 6.5 (Over -124/Under +103)
Royals vs. Guardians Probable Pitchers
- Kansas City: Noah Cameron (1-0, 1.80 ERA)
- Cleveland: Gavin Williams (1-1, 2.25 ERA)
Royals vs. Guardians How to Watch
- Date: Tuesday, April 7
- Time: 1:10 p.m. EST
- Venue: Progressive Field
- How to Watch (TV): ESPN Unlimited/Royals.TV/Guardians.TV
- Royals record: 5-5
- Guardians record: 6-5
Royals vs. Guardians Best MLB Prop Bet
Royals Best MLB Prop Bet
- Bobby Witt Jr. UNDER 1.5 Total Bases (-172)
This season, Royals star Bobby Witte Jr. already has 10 hits, posting a .270/.364/.270 slash line for Kansas City.
While the star shortstop is getting on base, he does not have a single extra-base hit in the 2026 season, and I don’t see that changing on Tuesday afternoon.
Witt is just 3-for-21 with two singles and a triple in his career against Williams (.143 batting average), and the Cleveland righty ranks in the 94th percentile in expected batting average against so far in the 2026 campaign.
Williams allowed just two hits across seven frames against the Dodgers, and he’s allowed just four hits across 12.0 innings all season. I think Witt is a fade candidate on Tuesday, especially if Williams works deep into this game.
Royals vs. Guardians Prediction and Pick
This game has one of the lowest totals that we’ve seen so far this season, but I think the UNDER in the early going is the right play to make.
Cameron had a strong 2025 season, posting a 2.99 ERA in 24 starts, and he picked up right where he left off by holding the Minnesota Twins to just four hits and one run in his 2026 debut.
The Royals are eighth in MLB in OPS early on in the 2026 season, but they scored just four runs in this series opener and are in the middle of the pack (15th) in runs scored.
The Cleveland offense has struggled out of the gate, ranking 26th in MLB in OPS and 28th in runs scored, so I don’t expect to see them get going against Cameron on Tuesday afternoon.
As for Williams, he’s gotten off to a strong start this season, allowing just four hits and three runs through two starts, though he has walked nine batters. Still, the Guardians have combined for six and five runs in his two outings.
I don’t want to involve the bullpens in this bet since KC’s ‘pen has struggled (6.17 ERA) so far this season and the Guardians are in the bottom half of the league in bullpen ERA as well, sitting at 4.39.
Instead, I’ll trust both starters to keep these offenses in check through the first five frames on April 7.
Pick: First 5 Innings UNDER 3.5 (-105 at DraftKings)
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Claim the latest DraftKings promo code offer today. Sign up and win your first $5 bet to get $200 in bonus bets instantly.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.si.com ’
