Before we dive into the Kansas City Royals vs. San Francisco Giants game let’s review the rules for the Draftkings MLB single game showdown contest.

Draftkings Single Game Showdown Contest Rules

You have $50,000 to utilize on five players from either team. However, one of those players will be designated as your team captain. The captain accumulates 1.5 times the standard fantasy points. Additionally, the captain is 1.5 times the standard cost of the flex position.

The remaining four players in your lineup will receive the standard fantasy points. Having stated that, it is highly important for you to identify the correct player for your captain position if you hope to win a large field DFS GPP (guaranteed prize pool) showdown contest.

If you have additional questions regarding the rules for the single game showdown contest, I recommend that you check out the Draftkings website for more details.

*I recommend that all readers review the starting lineups for both teams prior to setting your DFS lineup for this one game slate.

Here are my Draftkings picks for tonight’s Kansas City Royals vs. San Francisco Giants matchup.

Draftkings MLB Showdown Picks

Captain-Logan Webb, Starting Pitcher, San Francisco Giants $12,400

Later today, Major League Baseball presents the final game of a three-game interleague series featuring the Kansas City Royals and the San Francisco Giants.

How are these two teams playing entering tonight’s MLB game? The San Francisco Giants arrive at the third game of this three-game series with the Kansas City Royals playing good baseball. The Giants have won four of the team’s last five games played in the 2025 MLB regular season, including a 3-2 win over the Athletics three days ago.

Conversely, the Kansas City Royals are playing below average baseball entering the third game of this interleague series. The Royals have lost five of the team’s last seven games played this season, including a 4-3 loss to the Houston Astros last week.

Now that we have determined how both of these teams are currently playing let’s shift our focus to tonight’s contest. Starting pitcher Logan Webb has been a solid performer for the San Francisco Giants starting pitching rotation this season. With that said, how has Webb performed from a statistical perspective in 2025? Let’s review the veteran hurler’s relevant game data from the 2025 MLB regular season to answer that question.

Through ten starts made in 2025, San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Logan Webb has compiled a 5-3 (win-loss record), a 2.42 ERA (Earned Run Average) and a 1.12 WHIP (Walks and Hits per Inning Pitched). Additionally, Logan Webb has tallied 69 strikeouts while allowing 16 walks in 63.1 innings pitched this season.

More recently, in the San Francisco Giants dominant 9-1 victory over the Athletics five days ago, San Francisco starting pitcher Logan Webb pitched exceptionally well. More specifically, Webb pitched eight quality innings while scattering five hits and two walks in the Giants win over the Athletics.

In my view, Logan Webb is the most likely player to post the most Draftkings points in tonight’s MLB regular season game. Having stated that, I am backing San Francisco Giants starting pitcher Logan Webb at the captain position for this one game MLB DFS slate.

Flex plays I like to play well in this MLB regular season game (Draftkings price noted): Luinder Avila, Starting Pitcher (Kansas City Royals) $10,400: Heliot Ramos, Outfielder (San Francisco Giants) $7,800: Maikel Garcia, Third Baseman (Kansas City Royals) $8,800.

Read the rest of "Draftkings MLB DFS Picks: Royals vs. Giants 5/21/25" at Sports Chat Place

The San Francisco Giants’ recent form and player performance

The Kansas City Royals’ recent form and player performance

Recent betting trends and streaks involving the San Francisco Giants

Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Kansas City Royals

Recent betting trends in games played between the Kansas City Royals vs San Francisco Giants

A summary that ties it all together and produces a favorable betting outcome for the Kansas City Royals vs San Francisco Giants game

San Francisco Giants Preview

The San Francisco Giants have a 29-20 record this season and are sitting in second place in the NL West. They have a 17-8 home record and are 27-22 in over/under. They are coming off a 3-2 home victory over the Royals, and are 4-1 in their last 5 games. Under is 8-4 in their last 12 games, and are playing the Nationals and the Tigers next.

The Giants have a .236 batting average this season, a .312 OBP, and a .385 Slugging percentage. San Francisco’s pitching staff has a 3.30 ERA and 1.22 WHIP.  Heliot Ramos leads the Giants with 53 hits and is the team’s best hitter, with a .293 batting average. Wilmer Flores leads the team in RBI with 42 and in home runs with 10.

Logan Webb (R) will take the mound for the Giants, and he has a 5-3 record, 2.42 ERA, and 1.12 WHIP. He has been extremely better at home, with a 0.64 ERA across four home starts. He has given up 1 run or less in six of his last nine starts, and his only previous start against the Royals back in 2022 was a shutout performance in 7 innings pitched.

Kansas City Royals Preview

The Kansas City Royals have a 27-22 record this season and are sitting in 4^th place in the AL Central. The Royals have a 10-14 road record and are 16-33 in over/under. They are coming off a 2-3 road defeat by the Giants, ending their previous two-game winning streak. Under is 6-1 in their last 7 games, and they are playing the Twins and the Reds next.

The Royals have a .242 batting average this season, a .297 OBP, and a .361 Slugging percentage. Kansas’ pitching staff has a 3.01 ERA and 1.17 WHIP. Bobby Witt Jr leads the Royals with 58 hits, while Mike Garcia is the team’s best hitter with a .310 batting average. Vinnie Pasquantino leads the team in RBI with 28 and in home runs with 8.

Daniel Lynch IV (L) is expected to take the mound for the Royals, and he is a reliever, which means that the Royals with go with a bullpen game today. Daniel Lynch IV has a 1.29 ERA and 1.10 WHIP, and this his be the first time he is facing the Giants.

Why the San Francisco Giants will win

• The Giants have won seven of their last eight day games at Oracle Park following a win.
• The Royals have lost each of their last four games against NL West opponents following a loss.
• The Royals have failed to cover the run line in four of their last five day games against NL West opponents that held a winning record.
• The Giants have covered the run line in each of their last three day games against AL Central opponents.
• The Giants have won the first inning in four of their last five day games.
• The Giants have led after 5 innings in five of their last six games against AL Central opponents that held a winning record.
• The Giants have led after 3 innings in five of their last six day games.

Why the Kansas City Royals will win

• The Royals have won five of their last six games as underdogs following a loss.
• The Giants have lost four of their last five games as favorites against AL Central opponents.
• The underdogs have covered the run line in each of the Royals’ last 11 games.
• The Giants have failed to cover the run line in each of their last eight home games against American League opponents after playing the previous day.
• The Giants have lost the first inning in each of their last four day games against American League opponents that held a winning record.
• The Giants have trailed after 3 innings in four of their last five games against American League opponents that held a winning record.

Total Runs Facts

• Each of the Royals’ last six games after playing the previous day have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Eleven of the Giants’ last 12 games as favorites against American League opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Royals’ last 11 games.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in 10 of the last 11 games between the Royals and Giants at Oracle Park.

Matchup/League Facts

• The Giants rank 3rd in the league for home runs allowed this season (38).
• The Giants rank 5th in the league for ERA this season (3.30).
• The Royals rank 30th in the league for home runs this season (31).
• The Royals rank 2nd in the league for strikeouts against this season (349).

Royals vs Giants Prediction

The Giants are 5-1 in their last 6 overall meetings against the Royals, but the Royals are 4-2 in their last 6 visits to San Francisco. Under is 8-2 in their last 10 meetings.

In this Royals vs Giants Prediction, the Giants are coming as big -200 home favorites. The Giants are rightfully favored, as they have a slightly better overall record and have been very strong at home, while the Royals have been below average on the road. The Giants are putting their ace on the mound in Logan Webb, who has been lights out at home with a sub-1.00 ERA, while the Royals are going for a bullpen game.

Royals have the 5^th-best bullpen this season, but I don’t think that will be enough against a Giants team at home, with Webb on the mound. I have total absolute faith in Logan Webb, and I will take the San Francisco Giants at -0.5 runs in the first 5 innings of this game.

Read the rest of "Royals vs Giants Prediction 5/21/25 MLB Picks Today" at Sports Chat Place

Kansas City Royals Betting Preview

The Kansas City Royals (27-22, 10-13 Away) lost three series in a row after falling to the Red Sox, Astros, and Cardinals. Following a four-game losing skid, the Royals managed to avoid being swept by the Cards with a win in Game 3, and then opened this series in San Francisco with a 3-1 victory. Vinnie Pasquantino led the offense with two RBI, while Kris Bubic got the win after allowing no runs on two hits with five strikeouts and three walks across 7.0 innings of work.

This year, the Royals average 3.31 runs per game (27th in the MLB) on a .242/.298/.363 triple-slash. When it comes to pitching, the Royals’ staff has a 3.03 ERA (2nd) and 1.17 WHIP (5th). Vinnie Pasquantino leads the Royals with a .228 batting average, eight home runs, and 28 RBI this season.

The projected starting pitcher for the Royals is Michael Lorenzen, who is 3-4 in nine starts this season, with a 3.76 ERA and 1.23 WHIP in 52.2 innings.

San Francisco Giants Betting Preview

The San Francisco Giants (28-20, 16-8 Home) lost to the Twins and Diamondbacks, but bounced back with a win over the Athletics. After sweeping the A’s, the Giants lost 3-1 in the opening game of the current series against the Kansas City Royals. Robbie Ray pitched for 7.0 innings in a no-decision, allowing no runs on six hits with seven strikeouts and one walk. Tyler Rogers took the loss.

This season, the Giants average 4.65 runs per game (10th in the MLB) on a .236/.311/.386 triple-slash. When it comes to pitching, the Giants’ staff has a 3.35 ERA (5th) and 1.22 WHIP (11th). Wilmer Flores leads the Giants with a .257 batting average, ten home runs, and 42 RBI this season.

Hayden Birdsong will take the mound for the Giants on Tuesday. The 23-year-old right-hander has a 1-0 record in zero starts this year with a 2.31 ERA and 1.29 WHIP in 23.1 innings.

Total Runs Facts

• Nine of the Royals’ last 10 night games against National League opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Seven of the Giants’ last eight night games against American League opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Royals’ last 10 games.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in nine of the last 10 games between the Royals and Giants at Oracle Park.

Matchup/League Facts

• The Giants rank T24th in the league for steals this season (25).
• The Giants rank 23rd in the league for strikeouts against this season (411).
• The Royals rank 2nd in the league for ERA this season (3.03).
• The Royals rank T2nd in the league for walks allowed this season (131).

Giants vs Royals Prediction

The Giants won six of the previous ten H2H encounters, including four of the last five. Even though it’s very ungrateful to bet on Over when the Royals are involved, I am going with Over because I don’t like the starting pitchers. Michael Lorenzen allowed nine runs in his last three starts, including five home runs. He allowed a .326 BA in 43 at-bats against San Francisco. Hayden Birdsong, on the other hand, is a reliever, not a starter, and this will be his first start of the year. I don’t know how many innings he’ll stay on the mound, but I am pretty sure the Royals will score a run or two off him early on. Go with Over.

Read the rest of "Giants vs Royals Prediction 5/20/25 MLB Picks Today" at Sports Chat Place

The San Francisco Giants’ recent form and player performance

The Kansas City Royals’ recent form and player performance

Recent betting trends and streaks involving the San Francisco Giants

Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Kansas City Royals

Recent betting trends in games played between the Kansas City Royals vs San Francisco Giants

A summary that ties it all together and produces a favorable betting outcome for the Kansas City Royals vs San Francisco Giants game

San Francisco Giants Preview

The San Francisco Giants have a 28-19 record this season and are sitting in third place in the NL West. They have a 16-7 home record and are 27-20 in over/under. They are coming off a 3-2 home victory over the Athletics, and are 4-1 in their last 4 games. Under is 6-4 in their last 10 games, and are playing the Nationals and the Tigers next.

The Giants have a .237 batting average this season, a .312 OBP, and a .389 Slugging percentage. San Francisco’s pitching staff has a 3.36 ERA and 1.22 WHIP.  Heliot Ramos leads the Giants with 51 hits and is the team’s best hitter, with a .293 batting average.  Wilmer Flores leads the team in RBI with 42 and in home runs with 10.

Robbie Ray (L) will take the mound for the Giants, and he has a 6-0 record, 3.04 ERA, and 1.25 WHIP. He has been better at home, with a 2.32 ERA across five home starts, but he is coming off a start in which he gave up 3 runs in 6 innings of work against the Diamondbacks. Robbie Ray with an ERA of 2.13 and 9 strikeouts in 3 appearances against the Royals in his career.

Kansas City Royals Preview

The Kansas City Royals have a 26-21 record this season and are sitting in 4th place in the AL Central. The Royals have a 9-13 road record and are 16-31 in over/under. They are coming off a 2-1 home victory over the Cardinals, ending their previous four-game losing streak. Under is 4-1 in their last 5 games, and they are playing the Twins and the Reds next.

The Royals have a .241 batting average this season, a .298 OBP, and a .361 Slugging percentage. Kansas’ pitching staff has a 3.07 ERA and 1.17 WHIP. Bobby Witt Jr leads the Royals with 56 hits and is the team’s best hitter with a .303 batting average. Vinnie Pasquantino leads the team in RBI with 26 and in home runs with 7.

Kris Bubic (L) will take the mound for the Royals, and he has a 4-2 record, 1.66 ERA, and 1.10 WHIP. He has been very good on the road, with a 1.88 ERA across 5 road starts. He has been excellent lately, with just one earned run in 18.1 innings pitched across three starts. In his previous start against the Giants back in 2023, he had a shutout performance in 6 innings pitched.

Why the San Francisco Giants will win

• The Royals have lost each of their last 10 Monday night road games against National League opponents.
• The Giants have won eight of their last nine home games against American League opponents.
• The Giants have covered the run line each of their last six night games against AL Central opponents that held a winning record.
• The Royals have failed to cover the run line in each of their last four night games following a home win.
• The Giants have led after 5 innings in eight of their last nine night games against American League opponents that held a winning record.
• The Giants have won the first inning in four of their last five night games against AL Central opponents that held a winning record.
• The Giants have led after 3 innings in each of their last four games against AL Central opponents that held a winning record.

Why the Kansas City Royals will win

• The underdogs have won six of the last seven games between the Royals and Giants.
• The Giants have lost each of their last three games as favorites against AL Central opponents.
• The underdogs have covered the run line in each of the Royals’ last nine games.
• The Giants have failed to cover the run line in each of their last seven night games following a win.
• The Royals have led after 5 innings in each of their last four road night games.
• The Giants have lost the first inning in four of their last five home games against opponents that held a winning record.
• The Giants have trailed after 3 innings in five of their last six home games against opponents that held a winning record.

Total Runs Facts

• Twelve of the Royals’ last 13 night games as underdogs have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Nine of the Giants’ last 10 games as favorites against American League opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Royals’ last 12 night games.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Giants’ last eight Monday games at Oracle Park.

Matchup/League Facts

• The Giants rank 3rd in the league for home runs allowed this season (37).
• The Giants rank 6th in the league for ERA this season (3.36).
• The Royals rank 30th in the league for home runs this season (30).
• The Royals rank 2nd in the league for strikeouts against this season (332).

Royals vs Giants Prediction

Giants swept the only series against the Royals last season with 3-0 wins and a combined 13-1 score. The Giants are 6-3 in their last 9 meetings against the Royals, and under is 6-2 in their last 8 meetings.

In this Royals vs Giants Prediction, the Giants are coming as -130 home favorites. The Giants are favored because they have a better record this season, and they have been very strong at home, while the Royals have been below average on the road. Both pitchers have been excellent so far this season, with a combined 3.70 ERA, and both teams have top-7 bullpen ERA.

Both teams have also been much weaker against lefties, as they average 6.9 runs combined against left-handed pitching, and all three of their meetings last season went under the total. I expect another low-scoring outing today, so take the under 7 runs in this one.

Read the rest of "Royals vs Giants Prediction 5/19/25 MLB Picks Today" at Sports Chat Place

St. Louis Cardinals Betting Preview

The St. Louis Cardinals (26-20, 11-14 Away) are going through their best period of the season, during which they won six straight series, and will add another one after defeating the Royals in the opening two games of this series. The Cards swept the Pirates and Nationals along the way and then secured 10-3 and 1-0 victories against the Royals. In last night’s 1-0 W, Miles Mikolas got the win after allowing no runs on two hits with four strikeouts and two walks across 6.0 innings of work.

This season, the Cardinals average 4.93 runs per game (6th in the MLB) on a .264/.338/.408 triple-slash. When it comes to pitching, the Cardinals’ staff has a 3.83 ERA (12th) and 1.23 WHIP (11th). Lars Nootbaar leads the Cardinals with a .254 batting average, seven home runs, and 24 RBI this season.

Matthew Liberatore will take the mound for the Cardinals on Sunday. The 25-year-old left-hander has a 3-3 record in eight starts this year with a 3.11 ERA and 1.01 WHIP in 46.1 innings.

Kansas City Royals Betting Preview

The Kansas City Royals (25-22, 16-9 Home) were on a good run of seven wins, but now they have lost six of the previous eight games. Following series losses to the Red Sox and Astros, the Royals fell to the Cardinals in the opening two games of the current series. Last night, Kansas City failed to score for the fifth time this year in a 1-0 defeat. Noah Cameron took the loss after allowing one run on two hits with three strikeouts and no walks in 6.1 innings.

This year, the Royals average 3.41 runs per game (27th in the MLB) on a .242/.299/.363 triple-slash. When it comes to pitching, the Royals’ staff has a 3.16 ERA (2nd) and 1.18 WHIP (8th). Vinnie Pasquantino leads the Royals with a .221 batting average, seven home runs, and 26 RBI this season.

The projected starting pitcher for the Royals is Michael Wacha, who is 3-4 in nine starts this season, with a 2.96 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in 51.2 innings.

Total Runs Facts

• Each of the Cardinals’ last four road games after playing the previous day have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Five of the last six games between the Cardinals and Royals have gone OVER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in 14 of the Royals’ last 15 games.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in six of the Cardinals’ last seven day games against American League opponents.

Matchup/League Facts

• The Royals rank 29th in the league for walks this season (119).
• The Royals rank 2nd in the league for ERA this season (3.11).
• The Cardinals rank 3rd in the league for hits this season (409).
• The Cardinals rank T28th in the league for triples this season (1).

Royals vs Cardinals Prediction

The teams have traded victories in the past couple of years, each recording five in the previous ten H2H duels. The Cards won three of the last four and were better in Game 1 and Game 2 of this series. Seven of St. Louis’ last ten games went Under, which was the case in six of Kansas City’s previous ten games. Matthew Liberatore hasn’t allowed more than two runs in each of his last six starts, while Michael Wacha registered two shutouts in his previous four starts. The Royals are not great against southpaws this year; they have a .237 BA in 334 at-bats. Back the Under.

Read the rest of "Royals vs Cardinals Prediction 5/18/25 MLB Picks Today" at Sports Chat Place

St. Louis Cardinals Betting Preview

The St. Louis Cardinals are 25-20 on the year and play the Tigers, Diamondbacks, and Orioles next. The St. Louis Cardinals are batting .264 on the season, have a .338 OBP, and a .408 slugging percentage. The St. Louis Cardinals’ pitching staff has a 3.83 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP. Brendan Donovan leads the St. Louis Cardinals with 54 hits and 21 RBI, while Lars Nootbaar and Willson Contreras have combined for 88 hits and 50 RBI.

Miles Mikolas gets the ball for the St. Louis Cardinals, and he is 2-2 with a 4.35 ERA and 23 strikeouts this season. Mikolas is 2-0 with a 2.14 ERA and 22 strikeouts in his career against the Kansas City Royals.

Kansas City Royals Betting Preview

The Kansas City Royals are 25-21 on the year and play the Giants, Twins, and Reds next. The Kansas City Royals are batting .242 on the season, have a .299 OBP, and a .363 slugging percentage. The Kansas City Royals pitching staff has a 3.16 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP. Bobby Witt Jr. leads the Kansas City Royals with 56 hits and 25 RBI, while Maikel Garcia and Vinnie Pasquantino have combined for 87 hits and 45 RBI.

Seth Lugo gets the ball for the Kansas City Royals, and he is 3-4 with a 3.02 ERA and 42 strikeouts this season. Lugo is 2-0 with a 3.14 ERA and 30 strikeouts in his career against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Why the Kansas City Royals will win

• The Cardinals have lost six of their last seven night games against AL Central opponents following a road win.
• The Royals have won six of their last seven games following a home loss.
• The Cardinals have failed to cover the run line in six of their last seven night games against American League opponents following a road win.
• The Royals have covered the run line in five of their last six games against the Cardinals following a loss.
• The Cardinals have trailed after 3 innings in three of their last four games against American League opponents that held a winning record.
• The Cardinals have trailed after 5 innings in four of their last five road games against American League opponents.

Why the St. Louis Cardinals will win

• The Cardinals have won each of their last six games as underdogs against AL Central opponents.
• The Royals have lost each of their last five games as home favorites against National League opponents following a loss.
• The Cardinals have covered the run line in each of their last 12 games.
• The Royals have failed to cover the run line in eight of their last nine home games against National League opponents after playing the previous day.
• The Royals have trailed after 3 innings in four of their last five home games against National League opponents that held a winning record.
• The Royals have trailed after 5 innings in each of their last six Saturday games as home favorites.

Kansas City Royals Player Prop Facts

• Salvador Perez has hit a home run in three of the Royals’ last five games against the Cardinals.
• Maikel Garcia has recorded a Double in four of the Royals’ last five games as favorites against NL Central opponents.
• Kyle Isbel has scored at least one run in each of his last six appearances against the Cardinals.
• Salvador Perez has recorded at least one RBI in each of his last six appearances against NL Central opponents that held a winning record.
• Jonathan India has recorded at least one Single in 10 of his last 11 home appearances against the Cardinals after playing the previous day.
• Kyle Isbel has recorded at least one hit in each of his last 11 appearances with the Royals as home favorites.
• Bobby Witt Jr. ranks T2nd in the league in Steals (16) this season.

St. Louis Cardinals Player Prop Facts

• Miles Mikolas has recorded three or more strikeouts in each of his last eight appearances against AL Central opponents.
• Alec Burleson has recorded at least one RBI in each of his last four appearances in night games.
• Brendan Donovan has recorded at least one Single in nine of the Cardinals’ last 10 games as underdogs against AL opponents.
• Brendan Donovan has recorded at least one hit in each of the Cardinals’ last 10 games as underdogs against AL opponents.
• Alec Burleson has hit a home run in three of his last four appearances in night games.
• Brendan Donovan has recorded a Double in each of the Cardinals’ last four games against the Royals.
• Masyn Winn has scored at least one run in each of his last six appearances against AL opponents.

Royals vs Cardinals Prediction

The Royals can’t string together an offense this week and have lost five of their last six games. So while Lugo has been great this season with a 3.02 ERA and 1.09 WHIP, it doesn’t matter if the Royals can’t score. The Cardinals have lost just one game since May 3 and are on fire offensively, which includes 24 runs in their last two games. Mikolas has been up and down this season, but he’s an all-star caliber pitcher who is capable of putting tougher a gem, as he shut out the Reds and Braves in two of his last four starts. We’ve backed the Cardinals a lot during this winning stretch, and we should continue as long as we keep getting plus money. Give me the Cards.

Read the rest of "Royals vs Cardinals Prediction 5/17/25 MLB Picks Today" at Sports Chat Place

St. Louis Cardinals Betting Preview

The St. Louis Cardinals (24-20, 9-14 Away) are playing their best baseball of the year. They won six consecutive series, including the sweeps of the Pirates and Nationals. The Cards won two of three games in the most recent series against the Phillies. In the rubber game on Wednesday, St. Louis won 14-7 and outhit Philadelphia 19-10. Alec Burleson led the team with four RBI, while Sonny Gray pitched for 3.2 innings in a no-decision, allowing seven runs on eight hits with four strikeouts and one walk. Chris Roycroft was credited with the win.

This season, the Cardinals average 4.82 runs per game (7th in the MLB) on a .262/.338/.406 triple-slash. When it comes to pitching, the Cardinals’ staff has a 3.85 ERA (13th) and 1.23 WHIP (11th). Willson Contreras leads the Cardinals with a .256 batting average, six home runs, and 25 RBI this season.

Andre Pallante will take the mound for the Cardinals on Friday. The 26-year-old right-hander has a 3-2 record in eight starts this year with a 4.36 ERA and 1.38 WHIP in 43.1 innings.

Kansas City Royals Betting Preview

The Kansas City Royals (25-20, 16-7 Home) were on a seven-game winning streak, their longest of the season, but then lost four of the next five games, losing the series to the Red Sox and Astros along the way. In the latest 4-3 defeat to the Astros on the road, Maikel Garcia led the offense with two RBI, while Michael Lorenzen took the loss after allowing four runs on seven hits with five strikeouts and one walk in 7.1 innings.

This year, the Royals average 3.42 runs per game (27th in the MLB) on a .242/.300/.360 triple-slash. When it comes to pitching, the Royals’ staff has a 3.03 ERA (2nd) and 1.18 WHIP (7th). Vinnie Pasquantino leads the Royals with a .220 batting average, six home runs, and 25 RBI this season.

The projected starting pitcher for the Royals is Cole Ragans, who is 2-2 in eight starts this season, with a 4.20 ERA and 1.23 WHIP in 40.2 innings.

Total Runs Facts

• Each of the Royals’ last four home games against NL Central opponents have gone OVER the total runs line.
• Four of the Cardinals’ last five games have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in 12 of the Royals’ last 13 games.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in six of the Cardinals’ last seven night games against AL Central opponents.

Matchup/League Facts

• The Royals rank 2nd in the league for ERA this season (3.03).
• The Royals rank 28th in the league for walks this season (117).
• The Cardinals rank 3rd in the league for hits this season (394).
• The Cardinals rank T28th in the league for triples this season (1).

Royals vs Cardinals Prediction

The Royals won six of the previous ten H2H encounters, including three of the last four. Cole Ragans is not having the best of seasons so far, which is the main reason I am going with Over in this one. Ragans allowed 13 runs in his last four starts and failed to register a quality start in each. Andre Pallante, on the other hand, allowed multiple runs in all but one game this season, so I expect the batters on each side to score 3+ runs off the starters here in the opening five innings. Go with Over.

Read the rest of "Royals vs Cardinals Prediction 5/16/25 MLB Picks Today" at Sports Chat Place

Kansas City Royals Betting Preview

The Kansas City Royals (25-19, 9-12 Away) won eight consecutive series before losing to the Boston Red Sox. The Royals did return to winning ways in Game 1 of the current series against the Astros, but Houston responded with a 2-1 victory on Tuesday. Kris Bubic pitched for 6.1 innings in a no-decision, allowing one run on six hits with nine strikeouts and one walk. John Schreiber took the loss.

This year, the Royals average 3.43 runs per game (27th in the MLB) on a .242/.300/.359 triple-slash. When it comes to pitching, the Royals’ staff has a 3.00 ERA (2nd) and 1.18 WHIP (5th). Vinnie Pasquantino leads the Royals with a .225 batting average, six home runs, and 25 RBI this season.

The projected starting pitcher for the Royals is Michael Lorenzen, who is 3-3 in eight starts this season, with a 3.57 ERA and 1.26 WHIP in 45.1 innings.

Houston Astros Betting Preview

The Houston Astros (21-20, 14-9 Home) defeated the Reds at home in the most recent series to bounce back from losses to the White Sox and Brewers. Houston lost Game 1 of the current series against Kansas City before securing a narrow 2-1 victory on Tuesday. Isaac Paredes hit a walk-off homer in the 9th to lift his team, while Framber Valdez pitched for 8.0 innings in a no-decision, allowing one run on six hits with seven strikeouts and one walk. Bryan Abreu was credited with the win.

This season, the Astros average 4.15 runs per game (16th in the MLB) on a .250/.322/.379 triple-slash. When it comes to pitching, the Astros’ staff has a 3.47 ERA (8th) and 1.14 WHIP (2nd). Jeremy Pena leads the Astros with a .297 batting average, six home runs, and 21 RBI this season.

Colton Gordon will take the mound for the Astros on Wednesday. The 26-year-old left-hander will get his MLB debut against the Royals.

Total Runs Facts

• Eight of the Astros’ last nine games as favorites against American League opponents have gone OVER the total runs line.
• Eleven of the Royals’ last 13 night games against American League opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Royals’ last 11 road games against AL West opponents.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in eight of the last nine games between the Royals and Astros.

Matchup/League Facts

• The Astros rank 5th in the league for home runs allowed this season (36).
• The Astros rank 5th in the league for runs allowed this season (150).
• The Royals rank 2nd in the league for ERA this season (3.00).
• The Royals rank 2nd in the league for runs allowed this season (144).

Astros vs Royals Prediction

The Astros won six of the previous ten H2H encounters, but the Royals won three of the last five. I am going with Over in this one because I am not sure how the rookie Colton Gordon will fare in his first-ever start in the MLB. Even though the Royals are not great against southpaws (.234 BA in 308 at-bats) this season, I believe the visitors will have a solid chance to score multiple runs early on. Michael Lorenzen, on the other hand, allowed a .306 BA in 36 at-bats against the Astros. I am sure the bullpens will allow fewer runs late on, so it’s up to batters to score as many runs against the starters. Go with Over.

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The Houston Astros’ recent form and player performance

The Kansas City Royals’ recent form and player performance

Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Houston Astros

Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Kansas City Royals

Recent betting trends in games played between the Kansas City Royals vs Houston Astros

A summary that ties it all together and produces a favorable betting outcome for the Kansas City Royals vs Houston Astros game

Houston Astros Preview

The Houston Astros have a 20-20 record this season and are sitting in third place in the AL West. The Astros have a 13-9 home record and 18-20 in over/under. They are coming off a 5-7 home defeat by the Royals, and are 3-5 in their last 8 games. Over is 6-4 in their last 10 games, and they are playing the Rangers and the Rays next.

The Astros have a .250 batting average this season, a .322 OBP, and a .376 slugging percentage. Houston’s pitching staff has a 3.53 ERA and 1.15 WHIP. Jeremy Pena leads the Astros with 45 hits and a team-high 5 home runs, while Yainer Diaz leads the team in RBI with 21. Jake Meyers is the team’s best hitter, with a .298 batting average.

Framber Valdez (L) will take the mound for the Astros, and he has a 2-4 record, 3.94 ERA, and 1.19 WHIP. He has been a bit better at home with a 3.50 ERA, and he is coming off a quality start with just one earned run in 7 innings of work, in a 9-1 Houston win over Milwaukee. He has given up 2+ runs in his four starts before that, and in his previous start against the Royals this season, he gave up two runs in 8 innings of work, but the Astros lost 0-2.

Kansas City Royals Preview

The Kansas City Royals have a 25-18 record this season and are sitting in third place in the AL Central. The Royals have a 9-11 road record and are 15-27 in over/under. They are coming off a 7-5 road victory over the Astros, ending their previous two-game losing streak. Under is 10-3-1 in their last 14 road games, and they are playing the Cardinals and the Giants next.

The Royals have a .243 batting average this season, a .301 OBP, and a .361 Slugging percentage. Kansas’ pitching staff has a 3.01 ERA and 1.18 WHIP. Bobby Witt Jr leads the Royals with 53 hits and is the team’s best hitter with a .319 batting average, also adding a team-high 25 RBI. Vinnie Pasquantino leads the team in home runs, with 6.

Kris Bubic (L) will take the mound for the Royals, and he has a 4-2 record, 1.69 ERA, and 1.10 WHIP. He has been slightly weaker on the road, with a 2.01 ERA. He has been red-hot lately, with 3 shutout performances in his last 4 starts, but in his previous start against the Astros this season, he gave up 4 runs in 5 innings of work, as the Royals lost 3-7.

Why the Houston Astros will win

• The Royals have lost seven of their last eight road games against AL West opponents.
• The Astros have won each of their last five games at Daikin Park following a loss.
• The Royals have failed to cover the run line in each of their last five road games against AL West opponents following a win.
• The Astros have covered the run line in each of their last five home games following a loss.

Why the Kansas City Royals will win

• The Royals have won seven of their last eight games as road underdogs.
• The Astros have lost four of their last five games as favorites against American League opponents.
• The Royals have covered the run line in each of their last eight night games against the Astros following a win.
• The Astros have failed to cover the run line in eight of their last nine night games against the Royals following a loss.
• The Astros have trailed after 3 innings in eight of their last nine night games.
• The Astros have trailed after 5 innings in each of their last six night games against American League opponents.

Total Runs Facts

• Each of the Astros’ last eight games against AL Central opponents have gone OVER the total runs line.
• Ten of the Royals’ last 11 night games as underdogs have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Royals’ last 12 games as road underdogs against AL West opponents.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in seven of the last eight games between the Royals and Astros.

Matchup/League Facts

• The Astros rank 1st in the league for hits allowed this season (279).
• The Astros rank 2nd in the league for opponent batting average this season (.216).
• The Royals rank 30th in the league for home runs this season (28).
• The Royals rank 2nd in the league for ERA this season (3.01).

Royals vs Astros Prediction

The Royals are 3-1 against the Astros this season, but the Astros are 5-3 in their last 8 overall meetings. In this Royals vs Astros Prediction, the Astros are coming as -140 home favorites. The Astros continue to be overvalued, as they have a worse record than the Royals and a pitching disadvantage. Bubic is better than Valdez this season, but he was shelled in his only start against the Astros this season, so I don’t trust either pitcher, and I see no value on either side.

Both pitchers are solid so far this season, and both teams are top-4 in the MLB in bullpen ERA, with 2.80 and 3.10. Both teams are also weaker lefties, averaging 4.2 and 3.4 runs against lefties this season, so I don’t expect a lot of runs in this game. Take the under 7.5 runs.

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Kansas City Royals Betting Preview

The Kansas City Royals (24-18, 8-11 Away) went through their best stretch of the season, during which they recorded eight straight wins. Kansas City beat the Orioles and swept the White Sox, but lost the latest series to the Red Sox. In the most recent 3-1 defeat, Seth Lugo took the loss after allowing three runs on six hits with five strikeouts and no walks in 6.0 innings.

This year, the Royals average 3.40 runs per game (27th in the MLB) on a .242/.300/.359 triple-slash. When it comes to pitching, the Royals’ staff has a 2.99 ERA (2nd) and 1.17 WHIP (5th). Vinnie Pasquantino leads the Royals with a .217 batting average, six home runs, and 24 RBI this season.

The projected starting pitcher for the Royals is Michael Wacha, who is 2-4 in eight starts this season, with a 2.98 ERA and 1.15 WHIP in 45.1 innings.

Houston Astros Betting Preview

The Houston Astros (20-19, 13-8 Home) lost the series to the White Sox and Brewers, but beat the Cincinnati Reds in two of three games in the latest series at home. In both victories, Houston kept Cincy off the scoreboard. In Sunday’s 6-0 victory, Christian Walker and Yainer Diaz led the offense with three RBI apiece, while Ronel Blanco got the win after allowing no runs on two hits with 11 strikeouts and one walk across 8.0 innings of work.

This season, the Astros average 4.18 runs per game (17th in the MLB) on a .248/.322/.375 triple-slash. When it comes to pitching, the Astros’ staff has a 3.44 ERA (8th) and 1.14 WHIP (26th). Yainer Diaz leads the Astros with a .238 batting average, four home runs, and 21 RBI this season.

Ryan Gusto will take the mound for the Astros on Monday. The 26-year-old right-hander has a 3-1 record in four starts this year with a 2.93 ERA and 1.27 WHIP in 27.2 innings.

Total Runs Facts

• Each of the Astros’ last seven games as favorites against American League opponents have gone OVER the total runs line.
• Ten of the Royals’ last 11 night games against American League opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Royals’ last nine road games against AL West opponents.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Astros’ last seven Monday night games.

Matchup/League Facts

• The Astros rank T4th in the league for runs allowed this season (142).
• The Astros are one of only four teams in the league to rank top 10 in both strikeouts and walks allowed this season.
• The Royals rank 2nd in the league for ERA this season (2.99).
• The Royals rank 28th in the league for walks this season (109).

Astros vs Royals Prediction

The teams have traded wins in the last couple of years, each recording five in the previous ten H2H encounters. They already met once this year, and the Royals won that series 2-1 in Kansas City. Two of those three went Under, and considering how both teams are batting and pitching this season, I expect another low-scoring affair here. Ryan Gusto has been solid in his starts, even though he is primarily a reliever, while Michael Wacha allowed five runs in his last four starts. Back the Under.

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Boston Red Sox Betting Preview

The Boston Red Sox (21-20, 10-11 Away) lost the series to the Blue Jays and Twins before beating the Rangers. They opened the current series against the Royals with a 2-1 loss in extra innings, but bounced back with a big 10-1 victory on Saturday. Rafael Devers and Trevor Story led the offense with three RBI, while Garrett Crochet got the win after allowing one run on seven hits with nine strikeouts and one walk across 7.0 innings of work.

This year, the Red Sox average 4.93 runs per game (7th in the MLB) on a .254/.327/.418 triple-slash. When it comes to pitching, the Red Sox’s staff has a 3.72 ERA (10th) and 1.29 WHIP (18th). Alex Bregman leads the Red Sox with a .319 batting average, nine home runs, and 31 RBI this season.

Lucas Giolito will take the mound for the Red Sox on Sunday. The 25-year-old right-hander has a 0-1 record in two starts this year with an 8.38 ERA and 1.86 WHIP in 9.2 innings.

Kansas City Royals Betting Preview

The Kansas City Royals (24-17, 16-6 Home) are hoping to win their eighth consecutive series after sweeping the likes of the Rays, White Sox, and defeating the Orioles, among others. They opened this series against the Red Sox with a narrow victory, but succumbed to a 10-1 defeat in Game 2. It was the first time this season the Royals allowed double-digit runs. Cole Ragans took the loss after allowing four runs on seven hits with eight strikeouts and two walks in 5.0 innings.

This year, the Royals average 3.46 runs per game (26th in the MLB) on a .244/.303/.364 triple-slash. When it comes to pitching, the Royals’ staff has a 2.99 ERA (2nd) and 1.17 WHIP (7th). Vinnie Pasquantino leads the Royals with a .223 batting average, six home runs, and 24 RBI this season.

The projected starting pitcher for the Royals is Seth Lugo, who is 3-3 in eight starts this season, with a 2.84 ERA and 1.11 WHIP in 50.2 innings.

Total Runs Facts

• Each of the Royals’ last four day games against American League opponents have gone OVER the total runs line.
• Four of the Red Sox’s last five games as underdogs against the Royals have gone OVER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in eight of the Royals’ last nine games against American League opponents.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Red Sox’s last four games against American League opponents.

Matchup/League Facts

• The Royals rank 2nd in the league for ERA this season (2.99).
• The Royals rank 3rd in the league for runs allowed this season (134).
• The Red Sox are one of only two teams in the league to rank top 10 in both steals and batting average this season.
• The Red Sox rank 3rd in the league for doubles this season (78).

Royals vs Red Sox Prediction

The Red Sox won seven of the previous ten H2H encounters, including five of the last seven. Lucas Giolitio’s quality significantly dropped after numerous injuries, and this season he is clearly struggling. I am backing the Royals to score multiple runs off him in the first few innings. Giolito allowed a .291 BA in 117 at-bats against the Royals. Seth Lugo, on the other hand, is having a strong campaign so far, but he allowed a .283 BA in 53 at-bats against the Red Sox, so Boston’s batter will surely have a chance to do damage early on. Go with the Over.

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Kansas City Royals Betting Preview

The Kansas City Royals are 24-16 this year after they won game one by a score of 2-1 in extra innings. Kansas City didn’t score in the first ten innings of the game, but they scored once in the 11th and once in the 12th to get the win. The Royals recorded eight hits in the game and they were led by Fermin and Pasquantino, who both had RBIs in the win. Kansas City started Lorenzen, who allowed three hits and zero earned runs over 7.0 innings, while Cruz was credited with the win out of the bullpen. 

Prior to this series, the Royals swept the White Sox in four games and won two out of three against the Orioles. Kansas City has won seven games in a row and they are currently third in the AL Central standings. The Kansas City pitching staff has a 2.81 ERA with a 1.15 WHIP and a .225 opponent batting average, while the offense has scored 141 runs with a .244 batting average and a .304 on base percentage this season. Vinnie Pasquantino has led KC with six home runs and 24 RBIs, while Bobby Witt has added five home runs and 23 RBIs this year. The projected starting pitcher for Kansas City is Cole Ragans, who is 2-1 with a 3.79 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP over 35.2 innings pitched this year. 

Boston Red Sox Betting Preview

The Boston Red Sox are 20-20 this season after they lost a heartbreaker on Friday night. Boston battled hard all night, but they only managed to score one run in 12 innings for the tough loss. The Red Sox recorded six hits in the game and they were led by Devers, who had their lone RBI in the game. Boston started Dobbins, who allowed five hits and zero earned runs over 6.0 innings, while Newcomb took the loss in the 12th. 

Prior to this series, the Red Sox won two out of three against the Rangers, but did lose two out of three against the Twins before that. Boston has lost four of their last six games and they are currently second in the AL East standings. The Boston pitching staff has a 3.79 ERA with a 1.29 WHIP and a .249 opponent batting average, while their offense has scored 192 runs with a .250 batting average and a .324 on base percentage this season. Alex Bregman has led Boston with nine home runs and 30 RBIs, while Wilyer Abreu has added nine home runs and 25 RBIs this year. The projected starting pitcher for Boston is Garrett Crochet, who is 3-2 with a 2.02 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP over 49.0 innings pitched this season. 

Why the Royals will beat the Red Sox

• The Royals have won each of their last seven games.
• The Red Sox have lost each of their last seven road games after going to extra innings.
• The Red Sox have failed to cover the run line in seven of their last eight games as road favorites after going to extra innings.
• The Royals have covered the run line in six of their last seven games as underdogs against AL East opponents.

Total Runs Facts

• Each of the Royals’ last 10 night games as underdogs have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Five of the Red Sox’s last six games as road favorites have gone OVER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Royals’ last six night games.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Red Sox’s last three games.

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Royals vs Red Sox Prediction 

Kansas City comes into this matchup after winning 10 of their last 11 games and they are 16-5 at home so far this year. The Royals are starting Ragans, who has allowed one earned run or fewer in three of his last five starts. Boston is just 9-11 on the road this season and their offense has been inconsistent over the last two weeks. The Red Sox are starting Crochet, who has allowed two earned runs or fewer in four of his last five starts. This is a very solid pitching matchup, but I have to keep riding the Royals on this winning streak. 

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Starting Pitching Matchup

The Boston Red Sox will start Hunter Dobbins here, and Dobbins is 2-1 with a 3.78 ERA and 13 strikeouts this season. This will be Dobbins’ first career start against the Royals. The Kansas City Royals will start Michael Lorenzen here, and Lorenzen is 3-3 with a 4.23 ERA and 33 strikeouts this season. This will be Lorenzen’s first career start against the Red Sox.

Boston Red Sox Recap

The Boston Red Sox come into this game looking to build on their 5-0 win over the Texas Rangers in Thursday’s series finale to improve to 20-19 on the year. After this series, the Red Sox will head on the road for a series against the Detroit Tigers.

Red Sox Win Back-To-Back Games

Alex Bregman leads the Red Sox with 48 hits, including a team-high 15 doubles, along with 9 home runs and 30 RBIs, while Rafael Devers has added 37 hits with 11 doubles, 6 home runs and 25 RBIs this season. Trevor Story added 37 hits with 5 home runs, 16 RBIs, and 8 stolen bases, while Jarren Duran has 43 hits with 9 doubles, 4 triples, 2 home runs, 20 RBIs, and a team-high 11 stolen bases. Kristian Campbell added 33 hits with 8 doubles, 4 homers, and 13 RBIs while Wilyer Abreu has 9 home runs with 25 RBIs and 4 stolen bases, and Ceddanne Rafaela has 2 homers, 15 RBIs, and 7 stolen bases this season.

Why the Boston Red Sox will win

• The Royals have lost eight of their last nine night games against the Red Sox following a home win.
• The Red Sox have won four of their last five games at Kauffman Stadium.
• The Royals have failed to cover the run line in each of their last five night games against the Red Sox following a home win.
• The Red Sox have covered the run line in eight of their last 10 night games against AL Central opponents.

Boston Red Sox Player Prop Facts

• Rafael Devers has hit a home run in each of the Red Sox’s last two games as favorites against the Royals.
• Alex Bregman has recorded a Double in each of the Red Sox’s last four night games.
• Rafael Devers has recorded at least one RBI in each of the Red Sox’s last four games as favorites against the Royals.
• Rafael Devers has scored at least one run in five of the Red Sox’s last six road games.
• Alex Bregman has recorded a Single in each of his last eight road appearances against AL opponents that held a winning record.
• Rafael Devers has recorded at least one hit in each of the Red Sox’s last eight road games.
• Alex Bregman ranks 5th in the league in Hits (48) this season.

Kansas City Royals Recap

The Kansas City Royals come into this game looking to add on to their 10-0 win over the Chicago White Sox in Thursday’s series finale to improve to 23-16 on the year. After this series, the Royals will head on the road for a series against the Houston Astros.

Royals Win Six In A Row

Bobby Witt Jr. has a team-high 49 hits with 16 doubles and 13 stolen bases, while Vinnie Pasquantino has 32 hits with 5 doubles, a triple, 6 home runs, and 23 RBIs. Maikel Garcia added 43 hits with 10 doubles, 4 home runs, and 17 RBIs and 9 stolen bases, and Salvador Perez also has 2 home runs and 20 RBIs but also has the unfortunate distinction of leading the Royals with 30 strikeouts so far this season.

Why the Kansas City Royals will win

• The Royals have won each of their last eight Friday games as home underdogs against American League opponents.
• The Red Sox have lost four of their last five games as favorites against AL Central opponents following a home win.
• The Royals have covered the run line in each of their last nine Friday home games against American League opponents.
• The Red Sox have failed to cover the run line in each of their last five games as favorites against AL Central opponents following a home win.

Kansas City Royals Player Prop Facts

• Kyle Isbel has recorded a Double in four of his last five appearances with the Royals as underdogs against the Red Sox.
• Michael Lorenzen has recorded a win in three of his last four home appearances.
• Vinnie Pasquantino has recorded at least one RBI in seven of the Royals’ last eight home games against AL East opponents that held a winning record.
• Bobby Witt Jr. has recorded at least one Single in each of the Royals’ last eight games as home underdogs against AL East opponents.
• Mark Canha has recorded at least one hit in each of his last six home appearances against AL East opponents.
• Mark Canha has scored at least one run in each of his last six home appearances against AL East opponents.
• MJ Melendez has hit a home run in three of his last four appearances with the Royals as home underdogs against the Red Sox.
• Bobby Witt Jr. ranks T3rd in the league in Hits (49) this season.

Total Runs Facts

• Each of the Royals’ last 10 night games as underdogs have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Five of the Red Sox’s last six road games have gone OVER the total runs line.

Royals vs Red Sox Prediction

I’m on the Royals here. I get the case to be made for the Red Sox after how they took two of three from the Rangers, but the problem here is that the Royals are hot. Lorenzen has been pitching his best ball at home this season. I think the Royals start the series with a bang here and get the job done, so give me Kansas City in this one.

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Chicago White Sox Betting Preview

The Chicago White Sox (10-27, 3-16 Away) surprisingly won the series against the Houston Astros, but lost the opening three games of the series against the Royals and are trying to avoid getting swept here. Jonathan Cannon took the loss in the latest 2-1 defeat after allowing two runs on nine hits with one strikeout and no walks in 6.0 innings.

This year, the White Sox average 3.46 runs per game (26th in the MLB) on a .216/.294/.321 triple-slash. When it comes to pitching, the White Sox’s staff has a 4.07 ERA (18th) and 1.37 WHIP (23rd). Luis Robert Jr. leads the White Sox with a .190 batting average, five home runs, and 16 RBI this season.

Davis Martin will take the mound for the White Sox on Thursday. The 28-year-old right-hander has a 1-3 record in six starts this year with a 3.52 ERA and 1.36 WHIP in 38.1 innings.

Kansas City Royals Betting Preview

The Kansas City Royals (22-16, 14-5 Home) are playing their best baseball of the season, as they recorded five straight wins. They also won four straight series against the Rockies, Astros, Rays, and Orioles, while they will win this one against the White Sox, as well. Bobby Witt Jr. led the team in Wednesday’s 2-1 victory with a two-run homer, while Michael Wacha got the win after allowing no runs on three hits with five strikeouts and one walk over 7.0 innings of work.

This season, the Royals average 3.39 runs per game (27th in the MLB) on a .239/.301/.362 slash line. Regarding pitching, the Royals’ staff has a 2.99 ERA (2nd) and 1.18 WHIP (6th). Vinnie Pasquantino leads the Royals with a .210 batting average, six home runs, and 22 RBI this season.

The projected starting pitcher for the Royals is Kris Bubic, who is 3-2 in seven starts this season, with a 1.98 ERA and 1.12 WHIP in 41.0 innings.

Total Runs Facts

• Each of the Royals’ last seven home games against AL Central opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Each of the White Sox’s last four games against AL Central opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the White Sox’s last six games as road underdogs against AL Central opponents.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Royals’ last six games against American League opponents.

Matchup/League Facts

• The Royals rank 27th in the league for home runs this season (27).
• The Royals rank 4th in the league for runs allowed this season (123).
• The White Sox rank T28th in the league for home runs this season (26).
• The White Sox rank T28th in the league for triples this season (1).

Royals vs White Sox Prediction

The Royals won nine of the previous ten H2H encounters and are on a nine-game winning streak against the White Sox. Eight of those ten duels went Under, which was the case in each game of this series. Considering the pitching matchup, I expect another low-scoring affair on Thursday. Kris Bubic registered three shutouts in seven starts this year, while Davis Martin did so on three occasions. The Royals have one of the best defenses and one of the worst offenses in the MLB, so I am going with Under.

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Kansas City Royals Betting Preview

The Kansas City Royals are 21-16 this year, and they have won the first two games in this series by scores of 3-0 and 4-3. In their game two win, Kansas City trailed 3-1 in the eighth inning, but they scored the last three runs in the game to steal the win. The Royals recorded eight hits and they committed one error in the game, while they were led by India, Witt, Perez, and Isbel, who all had one RBI in the win. Kansas City started Lugo, who allowed seven hits and one earned run over 6.2 innings, while Clarke picked up the win out of the bullpen. 

Prior to this series, the Royals won two out of three against the Orioles and all three against the Rays. Kansas City has won seven of its last eight games, and they are currently third in the AL Central standings. The Kansas City pitching staff has a 3.04 ERA with a 1.20 WHIP and a .229 opponent batting average, while the offense has scored 127 runs with a .238 batting average and a .300 on-base percentage this season. Vinnie Pasquantino has led KC with six home runs and 22 RBIs, while Bobby Witt has added four home runs and 19 RBIs this year. The projected starting pitcher for Kansas City is Michael Wacha, who is 1-4 with a 3.52 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP over 38.1 innings pitched this year. 

Chicago White Sox Betting Preview

The Chicago White Sox are 10-26 this season after they lost game two by a score of 4-3 on Tuesday. Chicago led 2-0 in the sixth and 2-1 in the eighth, but they fell apart in the ninth for the loss. The White Sox recorded 10 hits and they committed one error in the game, while they were led by Baldwin and Rojas, who both had one RBI in the loss. Chicago started Burke, who allowed four hits and one earned run over 6.1 innings, while Booser was charged with the blown save and the loss. 

Prior to this series, the White Sox won two out of three against the Astros, but did lose two out of three against the Brewers before that. Chicago has lost three of their last four games, and they are currently last in the AL Central standings. The Chicago pitching staff has a 4.12 ERA with a 1.38 WHIP and a .242 opponent batting average, while the offense has scored 127 runs with a .217 batting average and a .297 on-base percentage this season. Luis Robert has led Chicago with five home runs and 15 RBIs, while Andrew Benintendi has added five home runs and 12 RBIs this year. The projected starting pitcher for Chicago is Jonathan Cannon, who is 2-3 with a 4.26 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP over 38.0 innings pitched this season. 

Why the Royals will beat the White Sox

• The White Sox have lost each of their last 19 night games against AL Central opponents.
• The Royals have won each of their last nine home games against the White Sox.
• The White Sox have failed to cover the run line in seven of their last eight night games following a loss.
• The Royals have covered the run line in each of their last six Wednesday games as favorites.
• The Royals have led after 5 innings in each of their last seven Wednesday games as favorites.

Total Runs Facts

• Each of the last eight games between the White Sox and Royals at Kauffman Stadium have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Twelve of the White Sox’s last 14 games as underdogs against the Royals have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in eight of the Royals’ last nine games against AL Central opponents.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in seven of the White Sox’s last eight night games against AL Central opponents.

Kansas City Royals Player Prop Facts

• Michael Wacha has recorded five or more strikeouts in each of his last six appearances in night games against AL Central teams that held a losing record.
• Bobby Witt Jr. has recorded at least one Single in each of the Royals’ last 10 games against the White Sox.
• Michael Wacha has recorded a win in each of his last six appearances in night games against AL Central teams that held a losing record.
• MJ Melendez has hit a home run in three of his last four home appearances against the White Sox.
• Bobby Witt Jr. has recorded a Double in four of the Royals’ last five games against AL Central opponents at Kauffman Stadium.
• Mark Canha has scored at least one run in eight of his last nine appearances at Kauffman Stadium against AL opponents that held a losing record.
• Hunter Renfroe has recorded at least one RBI in eight of his last nine appearances with the Royals as favorites against the White Sox.
• Bobby Witt Jr. has recorded at least one hit in each of the Royals’ last 12 games against AL Central opponents.

Chicago White Sox Player Prop Facts

• Luis Robert has recorded at least one hit in each of his last 11 Wednesday night appearances against AL teams that held a winning record.
• Andrew Benintendi has recorded at least one Single in seven of his last eight appearances at Kauffman Stadium against AL Central opponents that held a winning record.
• Andrew Benintendi has hit a home run in two of his last three road appearances against AL Central opponents that held a winning record.
• Andrew Benintendi has scored a run in each of his last five appearances.
• Josh Rojas has recorded at least one RBI in three of his last four appearances with his team as an underdog.

Royals vs White Sox Prediction 

Kansas City didn’t have a great day at the plate on Tuesday night, but they were able to take advantage of Chicago’s mistakes late in the game for the win. The Royals are 13-5 at home this year, while the White Sox are 3-15 on the road. Both teams have been very low-scoring this season, but the Royals have the advantage on the mound. Chicago is starting Cannon, who has allowed quite a few baserunners in his last three starts. Take the Royals -1.5 in this game. 

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Chicago White Sox Betting Preview

The Chicago White Sox (10-25, 3-14 Away) secured their second series win of the season as they beat the Houston Astros in two of three games at home. Prior to that, the White Sox lost five consecutive series. In Game 1 of the current series against the Royals, Chicago lost 3-0, and Shane Smith took the loss after allowing two runs on five hits with five strikeouts and three walks in 5.0 innings.

This season, the White Sox average 3.65 runs per game (24th in the MLB) on a .216/.297/.328 slash line. Regarding pitching, the White Sox’s staff has a 4.16 ERA (17th) and 1.37 WHIP (23rd). Luis Robert Jr. leads the White Sox with a .188 batting average, five home runs, and 15 RBI this season.

The projected starting pitcher for the White Sox is Sean Burke, who is 2-4 in six starts this season, with a 4.91 ERA and 1.36 WHIP in 33.0 innings.

Kansas City Royals Betting Preview

The Kansas City Royals (20-16, 12-5 Home) are playing their best baseball of the year after winning 12 of the previous 14 games. The Royals swept the Rockies and Rays, while they beat the Astros and Orioles during this stretch. Kansas City opened the series against the White Sox with a 3-0 victory. Cole Ragans got the win after allowing no runs on three hits with 11 strikeouts and two walks over 5.0 innings of work.

This year, the Royals average 3.43 runs per game (27th in the MLB) on a .237/.297/.360 triple-slash. When it comes to pitching, the Royals’ staff has a 3.16 ERA (4th) and 1.20 WHIP (7th). Vinnie Pasquantino leads the Royals with a .191 batting average, six home runs, and 22 RBI this season.

Seth Lugo will take the mound for the Royals on Tuesday. The 35-year-old right-hander has a 3-3 record in seven starts this year with a 3.07 ERA and 1.05 WHIP in 44.0 innings.

Why the Royals will cover

• The White Sox have lost each of their last 11 night games against AL Central opponents that held a winning record.
• The Royals have won 16 of their last 17 home games against AL Central opponents that held a losing record.
• The White Sox have failed to cover the run line in each of their last seven night games following a loss.
• The favorites have covered the run line in each of the last six games between the White Sox and Royals at Kauffman Stadium.
• The Royals have led after 5 innings in six of their last seven night games.

Total Runs Facts

• Each of the Royals’ last seven night games against American League opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Five of the White Sox’s last six night games as underdogs have gone OVER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the White Sox’s last four games as road underdogs against AL Central opponents.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Royals’ last four games.

Matchup/League Facts

• The Royals rank 4th in the league for ERA this season (3.07).
• The Royals rank 4th in the league for runs allowed this season (119).
• The White Sox rank 28th in the league for batting average this season (.215).
• The White Sox rank T27th in the league for hits this season (243).

Royals vs White Sox Prediction

The Royals have dominated the White Sox lately, as they won nine of the previous ten H2H encounters. Kansas City won each of the last seven games against Chicago, and I am backing the Royals to do it again on Tuesday. Seth Lugo allowed a .130 BA in 46 at-bats against the White Sox in his career. He allowed just two runs in his last two starts, and I’d be surprised if the White Sox score more than two off him in the opening five or six innings. Sean Burke, on the other hand, is a talented pitcher but is rather inconsistent. Following a shutout of the Brewers in his last start, I think the in-form Royals will get to him early on here. Back Kansas City to win and cover the run line.

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Kansas City Royals Betting Preview

The Kansas City Royals are 19-16 this year after they won two out of three against the Orioles by scores of 0-3, 4-0, and 11-6. In their game three win, Kansas City trailed 5-4 in the fifth inning, but they scored the next five runs to pull away with the win. The Royals recorded 17 hits in the game, and they were led by Witt Jr., Garcia, Massey, and Waters, who all had two RBIs in the win. KC started Lorenzen, who allowed seven hits and five earned runs over 4.2 innings, while Zerpa allowed three hits and one earned run in relief, but did get the win. 

Prior to that series, the Royals won all three against the Rays and two out of three against the Astros. Kansas City has won 11 of its last 13 games, and they are currently third in the AL Central standings. The Kansas City pitching staff has a 3.16 ERA with a 1.20 WHIP and a .229 opponent batting average, while the offense has scored 120 runs with a .237 batting average and a .297 on-base percentage this season. Vinnie Pasquantino has led KC with six home runs and 22 RBIs, while Salvador Perez has added two home runs and 16 RBIs this year. The projected starting pitcher for Kansas City is Cole Ragans, who is 1-1 with a 4.40 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP over 30.2 innings pitched this year. 

Chicago White Sox Betting Preview

The Chicago White Sox are 10-24 this season after they won two out of three against Houston by scores of 7-3, 3-8, and 5-4. In their game three win, Chicago trailed 4-0 in the fifth, but they scored the next five runs before the game was stopped in the seventh due to weather. The White Sox recorded seven hits in the game, and they were led by Sosa, who went 1-2 with two RBIs in the win. Chicago started Wilson, who allowed nine hits and four earned runs over 4.2 innings, while Vasil allowed zero hits and zero earned runs in 2.1 innings for the win. 

Prior to that series, the White Sox lost two out of three against the Brewers and two out of three against the Athletics. Chicago has won three of their last four games, and they are currently last in the AL Central standings. The Chicago pitching staff has a 4.16 ERA with a 1.37 WHIP and a .241 opponent batting average, while the offense has scored 119 runs with a .215 batting average and a .294 on-base percentage this season. Luis Robert has led Chicago with five home runs and 15 RBIs, while Andrew Benintendi has added five home runs and 12 RBIs this year. The projected starting pitcher for Chicago is Shane Smith, who is 1-1 with a 2.23 ERA and a 1.08 WHIP over 32.1 innings pitched this season. 

Why the Royals will beat the White Sox

• The White Sox have lost each of their last 17 night games against AL Central opponents.
• The Royals have won 15 of their last 16 home games against AL Central opponents that held a losing record.
• The Royals have covered the run line each of their last nine Monday games against teams that held a losing record.
• The White Sox have failed to cover the run line in each of their last six road games against the Royals following a win.
• The White Sox have lost the first inning in three of their last four night games at Kauffman Stadium.
• The White Sox have trailed after 3 innings in four of their last five road night games.
• The White Sox have trailed after 5 innings in each of their last five night games against AL Central opponents that held a winning record.

Total Runs Facts

• Each of the last six games between the White Sox and Royals at Kauffman Stadium have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Each of the White Sox’s last five night games as underdogs have gone OVER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the White Sox’s last 11 Monday games against American League opponents.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the last four night games between the White Sox and Royals.

Kansas City Royals Player Prop Facts

• Bobby Witt Jr. has recorded a Double in five of the Royals’ last six home games against AL opponents.
• Bobby Witt Jr. has scored at least one run in each of the Royals’ last six games against the White Sox.
• Bobby Witt Jr. has recorded at least one Single in each of the Royals’ last eight games against the White Sox.
• MJ Melendez has hit a home run in three of his last four home appearances against the White Sox.
• Hunter Renfroe has recorded a hit in each of his last nine appearances against the White Sox after playing the previous day.
• Hunter Renfroe has recorded at least one RBI in eight of his last nine appearances with the Royals as favorites against the White Sox.
• Bobby Witt Jr. ranks T7th in the league in Steals (9) this season.

Chicago White Sox Player Prop Facts

• Luis Robert has recorded a Double in four of his last five road appearances against the Royals after playing the previous day.
• Luis Robert has recorded an RBI in four of the White Sox’s last five games against AL opponents.
• Andrew Vaughn has recorded at least one hit in each of his last 10 Monday appearances with the White Sox as underdogs.
• Andrew Benintendi has hit a home run in two of his last three road appearances against AL Central opponents that held a winning record.
• Andrew Benintendi has recorded at least one Single in each of his last nine Monday night appearances at Kauffman Stadium.
• Andrew Benintendi has scored a run in each of his last five appearances.
• Luis Robert ranks 1st in the league in Steals (15) this season.

Matchup/League Facts

• The Royals rank T28th in the league for home runs this season (25).
• The Royals rank 3rd in the league for strikeouts against this season (247).
• The White Sox rank 30th in the league for slugging percentage this season (.328).
• The White Sox rank 28th in the league for hits this season (237).

Royals vs White Sox Prediction 

Kansas City comes into this matchup after winning a series against Baltimore over the weekend, and they have been red hot over the last two weeks. The Royals are 11-5 at home this year, while the White Sox are just 3-13 on the road. Chicago has won three of their last four games, and they are starting Smith, who has allowed a total of one earned run in his last two starts. The Royals are starting Ragans, who has allowed nine earned runs and nine hits over his last two starts (7.0 IP). I am tempted to take Chicago with how well Smith is pitching, but I expect a bounce-back effort from Ragans, and KC has been great at home. Take the Royals -1.5 here. 

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Kansas City Royals Betting Preview

Kansas City kicked off the 2025 season with losses in the first pair of series versus the Cleveland Guardians and the Milwaukee Brewers, then took a set victory against the Baltimore Orioles. Kansas City then got a series win over the Minnesota Twins ahead of a series defeat in the rematch versus Cleveland. The Royals took a sweep over the New York Yankees ahead of a loss in three of four games against the Detroit Tigers. The Royals notched another sweep over the Rockies, then took wins in two of three versus the Astros. Kansas City bagged a sweep versus the Rays this past week as well. On Friday versus Baltimore, KC couldn’t get anything going on four team hits in a 3-0 shutout loss. Starter Michael Wacha gave up all three earned runs on seven hits and a walk in 6.1 innings. Michael Massey had half the team’s hits, and Freddy Fermin had the other pair.

In the Saturday matchup, the Royals posted eight team hits during a 4-0 shutout win. Vinnie Pasquantino, Cavan Biggio, and Kyle Isbel each had solo home runs.  Starting pitcher Kris Bubic logged 5.0 clean frames, four hits, and a walk.

Starter for the Royals on Sunday will be Michael Lorenzen. This year, Lorenzen is 3-3 with a 3.48 ERA in six starts over 33.2 innings. Lorenzen is 50-47 with a 3.97 ERA in 374 games (99 starts) over his career.

Baltimore Orioles Betting Preview

Over on the Orioles’ side, they took a split in their first series of 2025 versus the Toronto Blue Jays ahead of a set loss versus the Boston Red Sox. Losses in two more series against the Royals and Diamondbacks came next, then a two-game split against the Blue Jays. Baltimore finally got a series win against the Guardians, then lost in two of three against the Nationals and got swept by the Tigers. The Orioles beat the Yankees in two of three games during their early-week set. In the Friday matchup, Baltimore scored all three of their runs in the seventh inning. Ryan O’Hearn came away with two hits, two RBI, and a homer, while starter Dean Kremer put up 7.0 innings, three hits, and a walk.

On Saturday, the Os notched six team hits in the loss, with Gunnar Henderson posting half of them (3-for-4). Tomoyuki Sugano managed 6.0 innings as a starter, giving up two earned runs on four hits and two walks.

It’ll be Kyle Gibson in the starter slot for the Orioles on Sunday. This year, Gibson is 0-1 with a 22.09 ERA off his lone start, lasting just 3.2 innings. Gibson is 112-109 with a 4.55 ERA over his career in 331 games (325 starts).

Why the Baltimore Orioles will win

• The Royals have lost each of their last eight Sunday road games against AL East opponents.
• The Orioles have won seven of their last eight home games against the Royals following a home loss.
• The Orioles have covered the run line in six of their last eight home games against the Royals following a home loss.
• The Royals have failed to cover the run line in three of their last four games at Oriole Park at Camden Yards against teams that held a losing record.

Why the Kansas City Royals will win

• The Royals have won five of their last six games as road underdogs.
• The Orioles have lost seven of their last eight day games against AL Central opponents that held a winning record.
• The Royals have covered the run line in each of their last six day games following a road win.
• The Orioles have failed to cover the run line in seven of their last eight games as favorites against American League opponents following a home loss.
• The Orioles have trailed after 3 innings in seven of their last eight day games against AL Central opponents that held a winning record.
• The Royals have led after 5 innings in five of their last six games against opponents that held a losing record.

Total Runs Facts

• Each of the Orioles’ last six games as favorites have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Eight of the Royals’ last nine games against AL East opponents have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in seven of the Orioles’ last eight games against AL Central opponents.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in four of the Royals’ last five day games at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.

Orioles vs Royals Prediction

I’ll probably lean toward the Royals. Lorenzen is doing quite well over his last two starts, notching 6.0 innings in each for a total of 12.0 frames with two earned runs, nine hits, and six walks combined over that time. Lorenzen did have a rough loss versus Detroit on April 17, though, giving up four earned runs in 4.2 innings. As for Gibson, he’s certainly chomping at the proverbial bit to get another chance after his disastrous debut versus the Yankees on April 29. Gibson gave up nine earned runs on 11 hits and two walks over 3.2 innings in that one, but he’s obviously a much better pitcher than that and should right the ship here.

The Royals got three of their four runs via solo homers in the Saturday victory, and Maikel Garcia had three of the team’s eight hits. I’d like to see a little more variety on Sunday, but I can’t complain about the results.

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Kansas City Royals Betting Preview

Kansas City opened up their campaign by losing the first two sets against the Cleveland Guardians and the Milwaukee Brewers, then took a series win against the Baltimore Orioles. Kansas City then took another set victory versus the Minnesota Twins before a set loss in the rematch against Cleveland. The Royals were able to sweep the New York Yankees, then took a loss in three of four games versus the Detroit Tigers. The Royals posted a sweep over the Rockies, then got victories in two of three versus the Astros. KC was able to beat the Rays 3-1 and 3-0 in their first two outings this past week. On Thursday, the Royals completed the sweep with an 8-2 victory.

In the Friday matchup versus Baltimore, KC was out-hit 9-4 in a 3-0 shutout loss that stopped their win streak. Michael Massey logged a pair of hits though, as did Freddy Fermin.

As a starter for Saturday’s game, the Royals will send out Kris Bubic. So far this year, Bubic is 2-2 with a 2.25 ERA in six starts over 36.0 innings. Bubic is 13-31 with a  4.44 ERA over his career in 103 games (66 starts) at the MLB level.

Baltimore Orioles Betting Preview

Over on the Orioles’ side, they split their first set of the season against the Toronto Blue Jays before losing a series versus the Boston Red Sox. Defeats in another pair of sets versus the Royals and Diamondbacks came after that, then a two-game split versus the Jays. Baltimore finally got a set victory versus the Guardians, then fell in two of three versus the Nationals and took a losing sweep thanks to Detroit. The O’s lost badly to the Yankees on Tuesday, 15-3, but won the other two games in that set. During the 5-4 Wednesday victory, Baltimore got a homer and two RBI from Ryan Mountcastle.

On Friday versus the Royals, Baltimore got two hits, two RBI, and a homer from Ryan O’Hearn. Starter Dean Kremer lasted 7.0 frames with no earned runs on three hits and a walk.

It’ll be Tomoyuki Sugano in the starting pitcher role for the O’s on Saturday. This year in his rookie campaign, Sugano is 3-1 with a 3.00 ERA in six starts across 33.0 innings. He’s got 17 strikeouts total.

Why the Baltimore Orioles will win

• The Royals have lost each of their last seven Saturday road games against American League opponents.
• The home team has won six of the Orioles’ last seven games.
• The Royals have failed to cover the run line in eight of their last 10 games at Oriole Park at Camden Yards against teams that held a losing record.
• The Orioles have covered the run line in each of their last four night games against AL Central opponents following a win.
• The Orioles have led after 5 innings in three of their last four games as home favorites against American League opponents.
• The Orioles have led after 3 innings in three of their last four games as home favorites against American League opponents.

Why the Kansas City Royals will win

• The Royals have won four of their last five games as road underdogs.
• The Orioles have lost nine of their last 12 games as favorites following a win.
• The Royals have covered the run line in 10 of their last 11 games against AL East opponents following a road loss.
• The Orioles have failed to cover the run line in each of their last seven Saturday home games against American League opponents.
• The Royals have led after 3 innings in three of their last four night games against American League opponents.
• The Royals have won the first inning in three of their last four night games against AL East opponents.
• The Royals have led after 5 innings in four of their last five night games against American League opponents.

Total Runs Facts

• Each of the Royals’ last nine night games as underdogs have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Each of the Orioles’ last five games as favorites have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Orioles’ last four games against AL Central opponents.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in four of the Royals’ last five games as underdogs against AL East opponents.

Orioles vs Royals Prediction

I’m going to lean toward the Orioles. Sugano is having a pretty good first year, even though he’s had a bump or two along the way. Over his last three starts combined, Sugano is 2-0 with five earned runs in 19.0 innings on 15 hits and one walk. He’s coming off 5.0 clean innings with five hits and one walk in a victory versus the Yankees on April 28. As for Bubic, he’s got one good start (7.0 innings; zero earned on four hits and no walks) and two pretty rough starts (10.1 combined innings for seven earned on 12 hits and seven walks) over his last three outings. Bubic will need a bit of a bounce-back effort here if the Royals are going to pose a threat.

Baltimore had a pretty nice outing collectively on Friday. If Sugano can set the table in this one, the O’s offense should take care of the rest.

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Kansas City Royals Betting Preview

The Royals opened their campaign by losing the first two sets against the Cleveland Guardians and the Milwaukee Brewers, then took a series victory over the Baltimore Orioles. Kansas City then got a win in another series versus the Minnesota Twins, ahead of a series loss in the rematch against Cleveland. KC bagged a sweep over the New York Yankees, then lost in three of four versus the Detroit Tigers. The Royals swept the Rockies, then took wins in two of three versus the Astros last weekend. In their opener versus the Rays, the Royals powered out a 3-1 victory. In Wednesday’s game two, KC bagged another victory, out-hitting the Rays 11-4. Starter Noah Cameron was quite sharp on 6.1 innings, no earned runs, one hit, and five walks.

In Thursday’s finale, the Royals posted 15 team hits on the way to an 8-2 victory. Starting pitcher Seth Lugo finished with 6.0 frames, two earned, five hits, and no walks.

As a starter for Friday, the Royals will send out Michael Wacha. This year, Wacha is 1-3 with a 3.38 ERA in six starts and 32.0 innings total. Wacha is 102-65 with a 3.88 ERA in 284 career games (263 starts).

Baltimore Orioles Betting Preview

Over on the Orioles’ side, they tied their first series of the year versus the Toronto Blue Jays, then lost a set against the Boston Red Sox. Losses in two more series versus the Royals and Diamondbacks came next, then a two-game tie in the rematch with the Jays. Baltimore finally got a series win over the Guardians next, then lost two of three versus the Nationals, and got swept by Detroit. After a Monday win over the Yankees, in game two, the O’s were demolished 15-3, giving up a whopping 19 team hits and committing three errors along the way. Starter Kyle Gibson had a rough day on 3.2 innings, nine earned, 11 hits, two walks, and two Ks.

In their Wednesday finale, Baltimore eked out another victory, 5-4, to take the series against their rivals. The O’s out-hit New York 10-7 along the way, scoring four runs in the second inning alone. Ryan Mountcastle came away with a homer and two RBI, while starter Cade Povich was sketchy on 4.2 innings and three earned runs on three hits and three walks.

In the starter slot for the Friday matchup, the Orioles are going with Dean Kremer. This year, over six starts, Kremer is 2-4 with a 7.04 ERA across 30.2 total innings. Kremer is 32-34 with a 4.44 ERA in 101 career games (100 starts).

Why the Baltimore Orioles will win

• The Royals have lost each of their last nine night games against the Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards following a road win.
• The home team has won five of the Orioles’ last six games.
• The Royals have failed to cover the run line in six of their last seven night games at Oriole Park at Camden Yards following a road win.
• The Orioles have covered the run line in nine of their last 11 games as home favorites against the Royals following a home win.
• The Orioles have led after 5 innings in four of their last five home games against American League opponents that held a winning record.
• The Orioles have led after 3 innings in four of their last five home games against American League opponents that held a winning record.

Why the Kansas City Royals will win

• The Royals have won each of their last four games as road underdogs.
• The Orioles have lost six of their last seven games as favorites following a win.
• The Royals have covered the run line in each of their last eight Friday games against AL East opponents.
• The Orioles have failed to cover the run line in seven of their last eight home games following a win.
• The Orioles have trailed after 3 innings in eight of their last 10 games.
• The Royals have led after 5 innings in seven of their last eight games.
• The Royals have won the first inning in four of their last five night games against American League opponents.

Total Runs Facts

• Each of the Royals’ last eight night games as underdogs have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• Each of the Orioles’ last four games as favorites have gone UNDER the total runs line.
• The ‘Inning 1 OVER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in each of the Royals’ last four games as underdogs against AL East opponents.
• The ‘Inning 1 UNDER 0.5 runs’ market has hit in five of the Orioles’ last six games against AL Central opponents.

Orioles vs Royals Prediction

I’ll lean toward the Royals here. Much of that is due to Kremer’s last couple of starts, as he’s been struggling lately. The good news is that Kremer posted a win over Cleveland on April 16 with one earned run on four hits and a walk. In his two starts since then, however, Kremer has posted a combined 11.0 innings with 10 earned runs on 15 hits and four walks, losing both games. He’s certainly a better pitcher than that, but if the trend holds, it’s bad news for the Orioles’ chances at winning.

Kansas City had a great offensive day in their win over the Rays on Thursday, bagging three runs in two different innings. Bobby Witt had a homer with three RBI, and Vinnie Pasquantino added two hits, a run, and two RBI of his own. The bullpen was also great on 3.0 combined innings, no earned runs, three hits, no walks, and two Ks total. I like KC to keep it going on Friday.

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