The Guardians won 76 games last year and although ZIPS projected an improvement, it was just to 80 wins in a mediocre division. But halfway through the year, the Guardians enter this series with the best record in baseball, just 25 wins short of last year’s win total.
Cleveland Guardians (51-26) vs. Kansas City Royals (43-38) at Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, MO
Guardians: 5.05 runs scored/game (3rd in MLB), 3.71 runs allowed/game (3rd)
Royals: 4.54 runs scored/game (13th), 3.75 runs allowed/game (8th)
The Guardians were red-hot in May, enjoying a nine-game win streak.