A tough season for Kansas City Royals starter Brad Keller will not get any easier Wednesday, when he has to face the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers. Keller leads MLB in total hits and walks allowed, posting a 5.97 ERA with 11.3 hits and 4.5 walks per nine innings issued. He has a 1.35 strikeout-to-walk rate on the road and has allowed at least three runs in four of his past five road starts.
The Brewers counter with Eric Lauer, who is allowing 1.6 home runs and 3.8 walks per nine innings with a 5.14 ERA in his last six home pitching appearances.
The Royals entered the series with a 6.52 bullpen ERA the past 30 days, the worst mark among AL teams. The Brewers, meanwhile, despite ranking last in the NL in batting average for the season, have plated the fourth-most runs in the majors in that span.
Milwaukee has the best road ERA in the majors, but ranks sixth in the NL at home, while Kansas City’s 5.37 road ERA ranks second-worst in the AL. So expect a high-scoring game Wednesday in Milwaukee.
The play: Royals-Brewers total, Over 9.5 runs.