The Kansas City Royals and the Oakland A’s square off Thursday in MLB action from the Oakland Coliseum. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best bets for this game. Here’s a Oakland Athletics vs Kansas City Royals Prediction.
Starting Pitching Matchup
The Kansas City Royals will send out Seth Lugo for the start here and Lugo is 10-2 with a 2.40 ERA and 79 strikeouts this season. In his career, Lugo is 2-0 with a 3.86 ERA and 17 strikeouts against the A’s. The Oakland A’s will send out Mitch Spence for the start here and Spence is 4-3 with a 3.95 ERA and 43 strikeouts this season. This will be Spence’s second career start against Kansas City.
Kansas City Royals Recap
The Kansas City Royals will try to finish this series on a high note with a huge road series against the defending World Series champion Texas Rangers on the horizon over the weekend. This is a pivotal stretch of baseball for the next little bit as the Royals try to keep themselves in the conversation for the AL Central despite series losses to the Dodgers and Yankees over the last week and a half.
Royals Still Have Potent Lineup
Entering Wednesday’s matchup, Bobby Witt Jr. leads the Royals with 96 hits including 11 home runs, 51 RBIs and team-highs of 7 triples and 19 doubles with 21 stolen bases. Salvador Perez also has 11 home runs with 45 RBIs and 15 doubles. Nelson Velazquez also has a team-high 61 strikeouts while Maikel Garcia has 5 home runs, 39 RBIs and 17 stolen bases along with 3 triples and 14 doubles this season. Vinnie Pasquantino has 19 doubles with 7 homers and 46 RBIs of his own on the year.
Why the Kansas City Royals will win
- The Athletics have lost each of their last seven day games following a win.
- The Royals have won each of their last five day games against AL West opponents that held a losing record.
- The Royals have covered the run line each of their last six day games against AL West opponents that held a losing record.
- The Athletics have failed to cover the run line in each of their last five day games following a win.
- The Athletics have trailed after 5 innings in each of their last eight day games against opponents that held a winning record.
- The Athletics have trailed after 3 innings in each of their last five day games against American League opponents that held a winning record.
Oakland A’s Recap
The Oakland A’s will try to carry some momentum out of this series with a home weekend series against the Minnesota Twins coming up after this three-game set. The A’s used this series to snap a lengthy losing skid that contained sweeps at the hands of the Twins and Padres and a series loss to the Toronto Blue Jays as well.
A’s Have Been More Competitive In Recent Outings
Going into Wednesday’s action, Brent Rooker leads the A’s with 42 RBIs along with 13 home runs this season while Abraham Toro has a team-high 70 hits and 24 RBIs. JJ Bleday has a team-high 22 doubles, 70 hits and 27 RBIs and Toro has a .256 batting average. Rooker also has the unfortunate title of leading strikeout bat with 88 K’s at the dish this season. Shea Langeliers has also chipped in 13 home runs and 36 RBIs.
Why the Oakland Athletics will win
- The home team has won each of the Athletics’ last nine games.
- The Royals have lost each of their last four games as favorites against American League opponents.
- The Royals have failed to cover the run line in each of their last six games as favorites.
- The home team has covered the run line in each of the last five games between the Royals and Athletics.
- The Royals have lost the first inning in four of their last five games as favorites against American League opponents.
- The Royals have trailed after 5 innings in each of their last four games as road favorites against AL West opponents.
- The Royals have trailed after 3 innings in each of their last five games as favorites against American League opponents.
Oakland Athletics vs Kansas City Royals Prediction
I’m going with the Royals. Lugo has been outstanding on the road this season and even though the Royals have taken a bit of a step back with some of their recent form on the road, I think they’re still the better team with a huge edge in starting pitching in this game. Oakland has been able to provide value in some spots, but I just think the Royals end the series on a high note with Lugo leading the charge. Give me Kansas City.