Atlanta Braves vs
Kansas City RoyalsPredictions & Preview

Kansas City Royals poised for victory against struggling Atlanta Braves

On Wednesday afternoon, the Atlanta Braves (45-60) will be aiming to secure a series win against the Kansas City Royals (52-55) at Kauffman Stadium in the final game of their three-game interleague series at 2:10 PM ET. The Braves, with Joey Wentz (2-2, 5.76 ERA) on the mound, will be looking to extend their recent dominance over the Royals, as they hold a 7-3 record in their last 10 matchups. The Royals have not announced their starting pitcher for the game. Stay tuned to see which team comes out on top in this Braves vs. Royals prediction. Note that this preview was written prior to Tuesday's game.

Betting Odds

• Moneyline: Braves +107 | Royals -128
• Spread: Braves +1.5 (-188) | Royals -1.5 (+155)
• Total: Over/Under 10 (-110)
• Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that Kansas City will win straight-up is 56%.

Atlanta Braves

The Atlanta Braves ended their recent losing streak with a victory over the Kansas City Royals in the first game of their series. Currently fourth in the NL East standings, the Braves are looking to close the five-game gap to third place in Wednesday's match. Atlanta's offensive statistics rank in the bottom half of the league, with averages of 4.16 runs, .242 batting average, .318 on base percentage, and .389 slugging percentage. Austin Riley leads the team with a .268 batting average, while Matt Olson has hit 18 home runs and 66 RBI. On the defensive side, the Braves are giving up an average of 4.35 runs per game, with opponents hitting .239 against them. Pitcher Wentz struggled in his last start, allowing four hits and four runs in 4.1 innings in a loss to Texas.

Kansas City Royals

The Kansas City Royals have been performing well recently, winning their last two series and currently holding the third spot in the AL Central standings, just half a game behind Cleveland. They aim to move into second place with a win on Wednesday. The team averages 3.58 runs per game, ranking 29th in the league, with a .244 batting average (19th), .300 on base percentage (27th), and .383 slugging percentage (24th). Maikel Garcia leads in batting average with .301, Salvador Perez leads with 18 home runs and 63 RBI. Defensively, the Royals are giving up 3.79 runs per game (second in the league), with opponents hitting .236 against them (eighth), a 3.55 ERA (third), and a 1.23 WHIP (sixth).

Kansas City Royals poised for victory against struggling Atlanta Braves

The Kansas City Royals have demonstrated strong form recently, winning three of their last five games, in contrast to the Atlanta Braves, who have suffered five losses in their last six games. Kansas City's success can be attributed to their proficiency in hitting against left-handed pitchers, which gives them an advantage in their upcoming match against the Braves' primarily bullpen pitcher, Wentz. Wentz's performance has been lackluster since joining the Braves, allowing six runs in his last eight innings pitched. Coupled with Atlanta's struggling bullpen, it is unlikely they will be able to contain the Royals' offense.

On the other hand, Atlanta has shown inconsistency at the plate, with the exception of one strong offensive showing. Facing off against the Royals, who possess one of the league's top pitching staffs, Atlanta is likely to have difficulties scoring runs. Kansas City's solid pitching at home should be able to stifle Atlanta's offense. Given these factors, it is recommended to bet on Kansas City to win.

Sources: [ 1 ] [ 2 ]