Guardians series preview: Can we ever beat these guys?

Q: What is the historical performance of the Guardians against the Royals?

The Guardians have only won the season series against the Royals six times since both teams joined the Central Division in 1994.

Q: Who are the standout players for the Guardians in the current season?

Key players include rookies Chase DeLauter and Travis Bazzana, along with José Ramírez, who leads the league in steals.

Q: How have the Guardians' pitching stats compared to the Royals this season?

The Guardians have a 4.17 runs scored per game and a 4.26 runs allowed per game, while the Royals have 4.12 runs scored and 4.62 runs allowed.

Q: What recent performance trends have the Guardians shown?

The Guardians recently took two of three games against the A's, including a significant 14-run game, after losing three consecutive series.

Jul 27, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez (11) hits a single against the Kansas City Royals during the first inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images When I was a kid, Cleveland’s baseball team was a joke—you may have seen them comedically portrayed in the movie *Major League*. But they quickly became a juggernaut in the 1990s, and since then have been consistent winners, although they still lack a championship in the last seven decades. They were placed in the same division as the Royals in the 1990s and have been a tough team to beat ever since. The Royals have won the season series against the Guardians just six times (2000, 2002, 2003, 2012, 2015, and 2024) in full seasons since both teams joined the Central Division in 1994.

**Cleveland Guardians (18-17) vs. Kansas City Royals (15-19) at Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, MO**

Guardians: 4.17 runs scored/game (22nd in MLB), 4.26 runs allowed/game (12th)

Royals: 4.12 runs scored/game (24th), 4.62 runs allowed/game (18th) This year’s Guardians team features two promising rookies. Chase DeLauter made the team out of spring training and leads all American League rookies in wRC+ at 162. He tapered off after a hot start but has gone on a tear lately, hitting .556 (15-for-27) with three doubles and a home run in his last eight games. Travis Bazzana was the No. 1 overall pick in 2024 and was called up a week ago after hitting .287/.422/.511 with two home runs and eight steals in 24 games in the minors. José Ramírez is off to a slow start but is tied for the league lead with 13 steals. He is a career 6-for-13 (.462) hitter with five walks against . is a career .321/.433/.607 hitter with three home runs in 19 games against the Royals. has struggled this year, hitting .195/.261/.220 against lefties. has given up just three runs in 17 innings over his last three starts. is a career .364/.481/.636 hitter with two home runs in 27 plate appearances against him, but is 0-for-19 against him in their matchups. Bibee’s four-seamer has been very hittable this year, with opponents hitting .394 against it, but just .053 against his curveball. is tied for the American League lead with five wins already. He led the league with 83 walks last year. He has a 2.28 ERA in nine career starts against the Royals. Bobby Witt Jr. is just 3-for-24 (.125) against him. gave up just three earned runs (plus two unearned) in 15 innings against the Royals last year. He had a 3.81 ERA in 21 relief appearances in 2025, but a 2.96 ERA in 13 starts. He has a 43.8 percent whiff rate on his changeup and has induced a 45.7 percent groundball rate. has given up 16 runs in 16 innings over his last three starts. He allowed just one hit in eight shutout innings in his only career start against the Royals last year. The right-hander had a reverse split last year, and right-handed hitters are batting .324/.327/.606 against him this year. The Guardians’ bullpen has regressed, posting a 4.30 ERA, but the top arms are still solid aside from . He had a 2.29 ERA over the last two seasons but missed the first two weeks with a forearm injury and has struggled since returning. Lefties are hitting just .118 against this year, but righties have a .440 on-base percentage against him. has converted 8 of 10 save opportunities this season. The Guardians had lost three consecutive series before taking two of three against the A’s in Sacramento over the weekend, including a 14-run outburst on Saturday. They are similar to the Royals: a below-average lineup carried by a few big bats, with good starting pitching and a solid closer. The Royals are starting to climb out of their hole, and a strong homestand against Central Division opponents could put them right back in the race.