Oakland Athletics vs Kansas City Royals Betting Picks & Predictions

Game outlook

Two surprising teams in the AL will face off this Saturday at 7:10 p.m. EST in Kauffman Stadium as the Kansas City Royals take on the Oakland Athletics. The Royals are exceeding expectations, currently sitting in 2nd place in the AL Central with a 69-93 record. They are only 1.5 games behind the division lead. On the other hand, the Athletics are struggling, in 4th place in the AL West with a 19-27 record and on a five-game losing streak. Ross Stripling will start for the Athletics, with a 4.98 ERA, while Seth Lugo will start for the Royals, with a 1.81 ERA. Kansas City is the favorite, opening at -182 and the line has not moved.

Betting Odds

Moneyline: Athletics +159 | Royals -182

Spread: Athletics +1.5 (-135) | Royals -1.5 (+115)

Total: Over/Under 8.5 (-110)

Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that Kansas City will win straight-up is 65%.

Oakland Athletics

The Oakland Athletics struggled in an 8-1 defeat to the Houston Astros, managing only four hits in the game. Zack Gelof and Tyler Soderstrom were among the few players to have hits for Oakland, with Gelof also contributing the only RBI. Joey Estes had a tough outing as the starting pitcher, giving up eight runs in only 3.2 innings. In terms of roster moves, Oakland made some under-the-radar signings including Alex Wood, Scott Alexander, and Trevor Gott, who underwent Tommy John surgery. They have acquired players like Austin Adams and T.J. McFarland in minor deals, as well as Ross Stripling, Miguel Andujar, and Abraham Toro. Notable losses to the roster include Tony Kemp, Austin Pruitt, and Kirby Snead. Ross Stripling will start for Oakland in the next game, hoping to improve on his 1-7 record and 4.98 ERA for the season. Overall, Oakland ranks 24th in offense, 21st in defense, and has a record of 64-98 this season.