The Kansas City Royals take on the Arizona Diamondbacks. Our MLB odds series has our Royals Diamondbacks prediction and pick. Find out how to watch Royals Diamondbacks.

The Kansas City Royals have had a brutal start to their season. It is true that the schedule has been difficult. The Royals have played the Atlanta Braves, Toronto Blue Jays, and Minnesota Twins — all playoff contenders with considerable talent — plus a Texas Ranger team which is noticeably improved this season. Still, even though the Royals have not had an easy schedule, they are still 5-18 through 23 games. That is atrocious. Moreover, in April, when a lot of good teams and good pitchers try to settle into their seasons and find a rhythm, the not-as-good MLB teams have an opening in which to do some damage. The very beginning of the season is the time when teams such as the Royals need to pounce on opportunities. Later in the season, when players get tired and the importance of each game to a top team becomes more pronounced, it is usually harder for lower-tier teams such as the Royals to win. That's part of why this 5-18 start is so bad. The numbers are horrible on the surface, but it's probably going to get worse if Kansas City can't find solutions.

Here are the Royals-Diamondbacks MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

MLB Odds: Royals-Diamondbacks Odds

Kansas City Royals: +1.5 (-160)

Arizona Diamondbacks: -1.5 (+132)

Over: 10 (-105)

Under: 10 (-115)

How To Watch Royals vs. Diamondbacks

TV: Bally Sports Kansas City (Royals) / Bally Sports Arizona (Diamondbacks) / MLB Extra Innings

Stream: MLB.tv

Time: 9:40 p.m. ET/6:40 p.m. PT

*Watch Royals-Diamondbacks LIVE on fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why The Royals Could Cover The Spread

The Royals are not winning a lot of games, but they are competing. They mounted a ninth-inning rally to defeat the Los Angeles Angels on Saturday. They played another really tough, really close game against the Angels on Sunday, and then lost by only one run to the Diamondbacks on Monday night in Phoenix in the first game of this three-game series. Believe it or not, but the Royals have covered the run line (+1.5 runs) in each of the last three games they have played. They are rarely going to be a favorite this season, so they will be a 1.5-run underdog the vast majority of the time. If they lose by one run, they will cover, and they're on a three-game cover streak.

Also, the Diamondbacks — who just lost three of four at home to the San Diego Padres — seem to be leveling out after a good start to their season. They did win Monday, but their pitching is not nearly as good when Zac Gallen or Merrill Kelly aren't starting, as is the case here.

Why The Diamondbacks Could Cover The Spread

The Diamondbacks did struggle with the Padres, but the Kansas City Royals are not the Padres. The Royals have a relatively weak batting order, especially in the middle and in the lower third of their lineup. Their bullpen has been getting shredded this season. The Texas Rangers and other Kansas City opponents have gotten a lot of big hits from the seventh inning onward. The Diamondbacks, liberated from playing the Padres, should have much more success against the Royals, and they won the first game of this series on Monday night.

Final Royals-Diamondbacks Prediction & Pick

The Royals are just not very good. A team which is 5-18 has lost all benefit of the doubt. Take Arizona here.

Final Royals-Diamondbacks Prediction & Pick: Diamondbacks -1.5