The Los Angeles Dodgers and Kansas City Royals will play the second of their three-game series on Saturday. With that said, it’s a good time to check out our MLB odds series, which includes our Dodgers-Royals prediction and pick we have laid out below.
The Dodgers are easily the hottest team in baseball, winners of 11(!!!) straight games. LA has baseball's best record at 78-33, holding a 16-game lead over San Diego in the NL West. Everything seems to be going the way of the Dodgers in 2022, navigating injuries to a dominant season.
Kansas City is not the hottest team in baseball, but they have played better of late. With a 47-67 record, the playoffs are definitely out of the picture, but Kansas City has gone 6-4 in their last 10 games. Competing with a red-hot Dodgers team may be too much to ask for this weekend.
Here are the Dodgers-Royals MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Dodgers-Royals Odds
Los Angeles Dodgers: -1.5 (-160)
Kansas City Royals: +1.5 (+132)
Over: 9.5 (-105)
Under: 9.5 (-115)
Why The Dodgers Could Cover The Spread
Reread that first blurb about the Dodgers. Eleven wins in a row is not an easy thing to do anywhere, never mind in MLB. Today, Andrew Heaney will start, trying to follow Tony Gonsolin's performance last night. Heaney has battled injuries this season, making just six starts, but they have been an incredible six starts. Only one of those starts has lasted six innings, and that was all the way back in April. Heaney is making three consecutive starts for the first time all season and might be built up enough for a normal pitch count. The good news is, one of baseball's best bullpens will back up Heaney. The group ranks fourth with a 3.18 ERA, with an impressive 9.7 K/9 rate. Caleb Ferguson has not allowed an earned run in his 17 appearances, and Evan Phillips owns a 1.40 ERA in 45 innings.
Not shocking considering the record, this is also one of the best offenses in the game. Los Angeles has scored the most runs in baseball at 597, ranks second in doubles with 235, and second in walks with 414. If we wanted to laud the numbers of this offense, we would fill this entire article with superlatives. Instead, let's talk about Mookie Betts. Betts has belted 25 home runs, hitting .272 in 94 games this season. Betts has hit an impressive .275 against fastballs, and for some reason, pitchers have thrown 61% fastballs against him. Trea Turner has added 18 home runs and 20 stolen bases, leading the team with 83 RBI. Freddie Freeman has been worth every dollar spent, leading the team with a .324 average and 37 (!) doubles. Six Dodgers' have hit double-digit home runs.
Why The Royals Could Cover The Spread
Kansas City has some exciting young players getting more burn this season. Brad Keller, one of the veterans on this pitching staff, has been average this season, with a 4.45 ERA in 21 starts. If we remove an August 2 laugher, Keller has a 3.33 ERA in six of his last seven starts. Keller excels at keeping the ball off the barrel, ranking in the 77th percentile in barrel rate. Kansas City's bullpen numbers look weak overall, but there are good pieces in there. Closer Scott Barlow has saved 18 games with a 2.32 ERA, and young flamethrower Dylan Coleman owns a 2.91 ERA in 46.1 innings. Joel Payamps and Jose Cuas are the other two relievers with a sub 4.00 ERA in extensive work.
Offensively, this team has thinned out a bit following the departures of Whit Merrifield and Andrew Benintendi. Still, Salvador Perez remains one of the best hitting catchers in the league, with his team-leading 17 home runs. Bobby Witt, Jr., one of the best prospects in the league entering the season, has lived up to the hype, with 15 home runs and 22 stolen bases in 103 games. Hunter Dozier has continued his steady production, with 10 home runs and 21 doubles while playing multiple positions. MJ Melendez has been a bright spot, spending time behind the plate and at the outfield corners, hitting 14 home runs with a .323 on-base percentage. Kansas City may lack in power, but make up for it with 72 stolen bases, which ranks sixth in the league.
Final Dodgers-Royals Prediction & Pick
No reason to think that the Dodgers' streak ends here.
Final Dodgers-Royals Prediction & Pick: Los Angeles -1.5 (-160), over 9.5 (-105)
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