Kansas City Royals at Houston Astros, MLB forecast
Win probability
Starts from the pregame forecast, then moves with the score and the time left after each inning. Above the line favors HOU.
Game center
From the ESPN box score.
Top performers
Royals- Kyle IsbelBatting1-3, 3 RBI
- Brady SingerPitching6.0 IP, 2 ER, 6 K
Astros- Jason HeywardBatting1-2, 2 RBI
- Hunter BrownPitching6.2 IP, 0 ER, 4 K
Scoring summary
- 8Dubón singled to left, Gamel scored and Peña scored on error, Dubón safe at second on fielding error by left fielder Melendez, Dezenzo safe at third on error.3–6
- 8Pitch 2 : Ball In Play3–6
- 8Pitch 1 : Strike 1 Looking3–6
- 8Dezenzo walked, Diaz scored, Peña to second, Gamel to third.3–4
- 8Pitch 6 : Ball 43–4
- 8Pitch 5 : Ball 33–4
- 8Pitch 4 : Ball 23–4
- 8Pitch 3 : Strike 2 Looking3–4
- 8Pitch 2 : Strike 1 Looking3–4
- 8Pitch 1 : Ball 13–4
- 8Diaz reached on infield single to pitcher, Altuve scored on throwing error by pitcher Erceg, Diaz to second, Caratini safe at third on error.3–3
- 8Pitch 1 : Ball In Play3–3
- 7Isbel doubled to left, DeJong scored, Garcia scored and Melendez scored.3–2
- 7Pitch 5 : Ball In Play3–2
- 7Pitch 4 : Strike 2 Foul3–2
- 7Pitch 3 : Strike 2 Looking3–2
- 7Pitch 2 : Strike 1 Foul3–2
- 7Pitch 1 : Ball 13–2
- 5Heyward doubled to right, Peña scored and Singleton scored.0–2
- 5Pitch 3 : Ball In Play0–2
- 5Pitch 2 : Ball 20–2
- 5Pitch 1 : Ball 10–2
The pick
Reconstructed from what was known before the game: the ratings at that point and the closing line.
Astros 60%
Forecast Elo ratings alone
How often that comes true: MLB favorites the forecast gave 55–60% have won 55.5% of 2,596 graded games.
- Market
- HOU 60%
- ML KC +140 / HOU -165
- Pre-line forecast
- HOU 56%
- Elo + market-implied
- Elo ratings
- HOU 58%
- Ratings vs. market
- −1.6 pts
- HOU: Elo 58.3%, market 59.9%
- Fair odds
- HOU -149
- KC +149 · the forecast as odds, no margin
- Pregame projection
- KC 3.3 – 4.2 HOU
- Margin from the forecast, posted total 7.5
How the number is built
Elo inputs in rating points (higher favors that team; 25–28 Elo is about a point of spread in football and basketball), then how the pieces combine.
| Factor | KC | HOU | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Team rating | 1510 | 1540 | Elo entering the game; 1500 is league average |
| Home field | — | +18 | Worth 18 Elo in MLB |
| Starting pitchers | −6 | +4 | KC: Brady Singer: team allows 0.31 more runs than with its usual starter (≈10 weighted starts) · HOU: Hunter Brown: team allows 0.20 fewer runs than with its usual starter (≈10 weighted starts) |
| Elo ratings | HOU +58 Elo | HOU 58.3% | |
| Market-implied ratings | HOU 55.5% | Team strength as past closing lines priced it, same game context | |
| Pre-line forecast | HOU 56.0% | 15% Elo, 85% market-implied (log-odds blend) | |
| Forecast | HOU 59.9% | Follows the market (vig removed): in testing, adding the ratings made it less accurate | |
Tale of the tape
This season coming into the game, regular season, each number with its league rank (the longer the bar, the higher). Home and road: the host's record at home against the visitor's on the road.
| KC | Stat | HOU |
|---|---|---|
| 5th of 304.9 | Runs scored | 4.612th of 30 |
| 8th of 304.1 | Runs allowed | 4.04th of 30 |
| 5th of 30+0.8 | Margin | +0.68th of 30 |
| 8th of 306–4 | Last 10 | 4–620th of 30 |
| 9th of 3034–31 | Road vs home | 35–2914th of 30 |
Rating history
Each team's Elo over the last two seasons. Hover or drag to compare on any date.
Recent form
Last five results, and whether the forecast hit.
Against the line
How each team has done against the closing spread and total, coming into this game.
| This season |  KC |  HOU |
|---|---|---|
| Run line | 75–57 | 66–64 |
| Last 10 | 5–5 | 5–5 |
| Favorite | 33–34 | 39–52 |
| Underdog | 42–23 | 27–12 |
| Overs–unders | 61–70–1 | 54–73–3 |
| Overs–unders, last 10 | 6–4 | 5–5 |
Against each game's closing line. Books set every line knowing these records: across 3,901 past games, the team with the better record against the spread so far that season covered 51.2%, short of the 52.4% a standard −110 bet needs, and over/under streaks held 48.0% of the time. They describe the past.
Head to head
KC 8–1 HOU in their last 9 meetings; the forecast called 1 of 9.