Cleveland Guardians vs Kansas City Royals Picks and Prediction for Sunday, September 27, 2026

The Cleveland Guardians visit the Kansas City Royals on Sunday at Kauffman Stadium, with the opening pitch scheduled for 3:10 PM ET and televised on MLB.TV. This is the final regular-season game for both teams. Cleveland is 84-76, first in the AL Central, and has clinched a playoff berth while still battling Chicago for the division. The Guardians beat Kansas City 12-9 Friday for their fourth win in five games and are 8-2 over their last 10. Kansas City is 68-92, fifth in the AL Central, and has been eliminated from playoff contention. The Royals have lost four of their last five games. Build your bankroll with our free MLB picks. 

Cleveland Guardians Finishing the Season in Strong Form

Cleveland has won four of its last five, beating Kansas City 12-9 after taking three of four games from Boston and the Athletics. Chase DeLauter leads Cleveland with a .287 average while recording 15 home runs, 66 RBI and 30 doubles. Steven Kwan is batting .279 with a .379 on-base percentage, 149 hits and 80 runs. Angel Martinez has 18 home runs and 62 RBI, while Brayan Rocchio has 13 homers, 71 RBI and 20 stolen bases.

The Guardians are batting .238 with 665 runs, 1,268 hits, 155 home runs, a .315 on-base percentage and .376 slugging percentage. Cleveland ranks 24th in MLB batting but eighth in pitching, with the staff posting a 3.76 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and .237 opponent average. Guardians pitchers have recorded 1,516 strikeouts, while the club has allowed 659 runs, six fewer than it has scored. Cleveland has made 83 errors with a .985 fielding percentage and owns a 43-36 road record.

Injuries: Rhys Hoskins (out), Colin Holderman (out).

Kansas City Royals Trying to End a Difficult Stretch

Kansas City has dropped four of its last five after Friday’s 12-9 loss to Cleveland. The Royals also allowed 14 runs against Chicago on Tuesday and nine on Thursday. Bobby Witt Jr. is batting .282 with a .361 on-base percentage, 18 home runs, 54 RBI, 92 runs and 44 stolen bases. Jac Caglianone leads Kansas City with a .286 average and has 23 homers with 73 RBI. Carter Jensen has hit a team-high 27 home runs with 81 RBI.

The Royals are batting .247 with 682 runs, 1,326 hits, 168 home runs, a .316 on-base percentage and .401 slugging percentage. Kansas City ranks 12th in MLB batting but 27th in pitching, posting a 4.77 ERA, 1.41 WHIP and .260 opponent average. The staff has recorded 1,164 strikeouts while issuing 577 walks. Kansas City has been outscored 797-682 this season. The Royals have made 73 errors with a .987 fielding percentage and own a 40-39 home record.

Injuries: Connor Seabold (out), James McArthur (out), Beck Way (out).

Pitching Matchup

Cleveland Guardians - Undecided

Cleveland had not yet announced its starting pitcher at the time this preview was written.

Kansas City Royals - Daniel Lynch IV

Daniel Lynch IV is 6-6 with a 4.13 ERA and 1.14 WHIP across 80.2 innings. He has allowed 66 hits and nine home runs while recording 54 strikeouts and 26 walks.

Cleveland Guardians vs Kansas City Royals Game Pick

• Cleveland Guardians

Cleveland is the pick after winning four of its last five games, including Friday’s 12-9 victory in Kansas City. The Guardians own a major pitching advantage, posting a 3.76 team ERA and 1.26 WHIP against Kansas City’s 4.77 ERA and 1.41 WHIP. Cleveland has also allowed 659 runs this season compared with 797 by the Royals. Kansas City’s recent defensive results have been costly, with 39 runs allowed across its last four games. Cleveland has the pitching and recent form to finish with another win.

Cleveland Guardians vs Kansas City Royals Over/Under Pick

• Over

Over is the pick after Cleveland and Kansas City combined for 21 runs Friday. Royals games have produced 21, 10, 9, 25, and 7 total runs across the last five, with three reaching at least nine. Kansas City has allowed 797 runs this season and owns a 4.77 team ERA with a .260 opponent average. Cleveland has scored 17 runs across its last five games, including 12 Friday. Daniel Lynch IV has a 4.13 ERA, while Cleveland’s starter remains undecided for Sunday’s regular-season finale matchup, but the Guardians can produce enough to push the total over.