The Cleveland Guardians face off against the Kansas City Royals in their Opening Day matchup at Kauffman Stadium, with first pitch scheduled for 4:10 p.m.

The Guardians (-124) enter as slight road favorites against the Royals (+114), with Kansas City at +1.5 on the runline and a total of 8 runs.

Pitching Matchup:

• Guardians: Shane Bieber (7-4, 3.17 ERA in 2021)
• Royals: Zack Greinke (11-6, 4.16 ERA in 2021)

Key Stats:

• Guardians: 80-82 record in 2021, ranked 18th in scoring (4.43 runs/game)
• Royals: 74-88 record in 2021, ranked 24th in scoring (4.23 runs/game)
• Head-to-head: Guardians are 14-4 in last 18 meetings, 10-2 in last 12 at KC

Key Players:

• Guardians: Jose Ramirez (.266, 36 HR, 103 RBI, 111 R, 27 SB in 2021)
• Royals: Salvador Perez (48 HR, 121 RBI in 2021), Bobby Witt Jr. (top prospect)

Analysis: The Guardians hold a clear edge in recent head-to-head matchups and have the advantage in both offense and defense based on 2021 numbers. With ace Shane Bieber healthy and on the mound, Cleveland looks poised to continue their success against Kansas City to start the new season.

While the Royals add veteran Zack Greinke and exciting prospect Bobby Witt Jr., the Guardians' dominant pitching and consistent offensive production from Jose Ramirez give them the edge in this Opening Day matchup.

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