MLB Daily Rankings August 17

Here are your MLB Rankings for today August 17.  No real changes from yesterday except that the Phillies return (finally).  The Boston Red Sox drop out.

1. San Diego Padres
2. Arizona Diamondbacks
3. Minnesota Twins
4. New York Yankees
5. Houston Astros
6. Baltimore Orioles
7. Los Angeles Dodgers
8. Cleveland Guardians
9. Kansas City Royals
10. Seattle Mariners
11. Milwaukee Brewers
12. Chicago Cubs
13. San Francisco Giants
14. Cincinnati Reds
15. Philadelphia Phillies

Royals @ Reds

Consensus Pick: 70% on Cincinnati

PITCHING PROBABLES: Royals: Michael Wacha (9-6, 3.50 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 99 strikeouts); Reds: Nick Lodolo (9-4, 3.99 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 111 strikeouts)

LINE Reds -130, Royals +110; over/under is 9 1/2 runs

BOTTOM LINE: The Kansas City Royals face the Cincinnati Reds with a 1-0 series lead.

Cincinnati is 31-32 at home and 60-62 overall. The Reds have hit 146 total home runs to rank sixth in the NL.

Kansas City is 67-55 overall and 29-30 on the road. The Royals have the fourth-ranked team batting average in the AL at .255.

Kansas City enters this game having lost six of the last seven head-to-head versus Cincinnati.

Cincinnati Reds career statistics vs. Michael Wacha have hit him hard at .319. Jake Fraley is 5-for-7 against him with two RBIs but no home runs at least.

Michael Wacha pitched seven innings of two-run ball to defeat the Cardinals on Saturday.  He was not part of the decision in the start before that one.

Wacha has given up nine runs and 23 hits in the last 24.2 innings.

Nick Lodolo yielded three runs over 5 1/3 innings Sunday in a no-decision versus the Brewers.

The Reds have the ninth-best ERA at 3.84 and are holding opponents to a batting average of .234, which is sixth lowest.

Do Take The Reds Here