Kansas City Royals vs St. Louis Cardinals Game 2 Prediction – 6/5/2025

On June 5, 2025, the St. Louis Cardinals will host the Kansas City Royals at Busch Stadium for the second game of a double-header. Entering today, the Cardinals boast a record of 33-27, while the Royals sit at 32-29, making this a fiercely competitive matchup.

The Cardinals are projected to start left-handed pitcher Matthew Liberatore, who comes into this game with a 3-4 record and a solid ERA of 3.08. Despite being ranked as the 115th best starting pitcher in MLB, Liberatore has had an average season and is known for his low walk rate. However, he faces a Royals lineup that is the least patient, ranking 1st in the league in fewest walks. This could put Liberatore at a disadvantage, as he thrives on pitchers who can draw walks.

Opposing him will be Cole Ragans, an elite left-handed pitcher ranked 8th in MLB, with a record of 2-3 and a less impressive ERA of 4.53. Ragans boasts a high strikeout rate of 37.7%, but he may struggle against a Cardinals offense that ranks 6th in the league for fewest strikeouts. With the Cardinals' offense currently ranked 10th overall and 3rd in batting average, they could exploit Ragans' inconsistencies.

Betting markets suggest this game will be closely contested, with the Cardinals holding a slight edge as they aim to build on their recent success. The low Game Total of 7.5 runs indicates that both teams may struggle to score, making this matchup one to watch closely for both fans and bettors alike.

Quick Takes Kansas City Royals:

The leading projection system (THE BAT X) expects Cole Ragans to be on a bit of a short leash in this game, projecting a maximum of 80 pitches.

• A pitcher who is on a pitch count is likely to be pulled from the game earlier, record fewer outs, and generate fewer strikeouts.

Quick Takes St. Louis Cardinals:

With 8 bats of opposing handedness in the opposing team's projected lineup, Matthew Liberatore faces a tough challenge while lacking the platoon advantage in most plate appearances in today's game.

• Right-handed pitchers perform worse against left-handed hitters (and visa-versa). If several hitters hold this advantage against the pitcher, it can have a huge impact on whether he will perform well or struggle on any given day.

Game Trends

• The St. Louis Cardinals have hit the Run Line in 17 of their last 24 games (+10.60 Units / 33% ROI)
• The Kansas City Royals have hit the Team Total Under in 27 of their last 38 games (+16.05 Units / 37% ROI)

Kansas City Royals vs St. Louis Cardinals Game 2 Prediction

Predicted Final Score: Kansas City Royals 4.77, St. Louis Cardinals 3.83

• Date: June 5, 2025
• Venue: Busch Stadium
• Starting Pitchers:
  • Cole Ragans - Royals
  • Matthew Liberatore - Cardinals

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