Is there such a thing as too much baseball? Absolutely not. In an American League contest between two teams with an incredible amount of intriguing rising baseball stars, the Kansas City Royals and the Seattle Mariners will go to war on a Saturday night in the Pacific Northwest. It is time to take a sneak peek at our MLB odds series, which will include our Royals-Mariners prediction and pick.
KC came up short in game one versus Seattle, as they were defeated by a score of 4-1 on Friday. Kansas City will call upon left-handed pitcher Kris Bubic, who has gotten off to a rocky start in a Royals uniform after compiling a 10.80 ERA in only two starts.
Seattle on the other hand sits at a healthy record of 8-6 and is determined to have a strong campaign in order to reach the postseason for the first time since 2001, one of the longest playoff droughts in all of sports. The Mariners will continue those aspirations with RHP Matt Brash on the bump. Brash has pitched effectively in two starts with a 3.38 and hasn't allowed more than two runs thus far.
Courtesy of FanDuel, here are the Royals-Mariners MLB odds:
MLB Odds: Royals-Mariners Odds
Kansas City Royals: +1.5 (-154)
Seattle Mariners: -1.5 (+128)
Over: 7.5 (+100)
Under: 7.5 (-120)
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Why The Royals Could Cover the Spread
Kansas City had won three consecutive games before dropping their last two, as finding their footing from a consistency basis has been one of the biggest struggles for the Royals.
Regardless, Kansas City is stacked with young and intriguing playmakers all over the diamond. Playing with a sense of swagger and carefreeness, the Royals' future is looking brighter and brighter by the day. Introducing hopeful future star in Bobby Witt Jr., who has already been heralded as one of the top up and coming faces in the sport.
While the rookie Witt has seen his fair shares of struggles in adjusting to hitting against big-league pitching with the bat in his hands, there's no doubting that the 21-year-old passes the eye test. Witt went 1-3 on Friday to raise his batting average to a crummy .159, and also committed a throwing error at third base. The first-year top prospect should improve with each game under his belt, and in the meantime, his pure talent alone can change the game with one swing of the bat.
The struggles of some younger players has motivated catcher Salvador Perez in starting off at a sweltering rate, as the Royals backstop crushed a solo shot against the Mariners on Friday, representing the only run that Kansas City was able to muster. Perez currently now has five home runs on the season, which is tied for the American League lead with Vladamir Guerrero Jr. of the Blue Jays.
Since the Royals are dead-last in runs scored in the entire league, southpaw Kris Bubic will need to pitch with authority to give Kansas City a chance in covering the spread. Bubic is 1-0 with a 5.06 ERA in two career starts versus Seattle.
KC is 6-6 when it comes to covering the spread so far this season.
Why The Mariners Could Cover the Spread
Pitching, pitching, and how about more pitching? Through 14 games, the Mariners bolster a top-five staff that has accumulated a very impressive 2.80 ERA. Not to mention, but Seattle has six quality starts to their name, which is the second-most by any other MLB team. While the season is a long one and all baseball fans know that it is a marathon and not a race, Seattle's supporters have to be encouraged from what they have seen in the first few weeks of the 2022 campaign.
Seattle will give the reigns to a rookie on the mound, as twirler Matt Brash has imposed his will early and often in his young career. In his most recent start against the Astros, Brash was on an absolute tear, as he didn't allow a hit until the sixth inning. This is an incredible outing for any Major League pitcher, especially for a 23-year-old hurler.
On offense, the Mariners have even looked the part of a potential contending team with their numbers within the batter's box. With 59 runs scored in 14 games and the eighth-best on-base percentage at .324, Seattle has threatened the opposition with a balanced attack.
After long-time third baseman Kyle Seager called it quits a season ago, the new face manning the hot corner by the name of Ty France has played spectacularly with a .302 batting average, three home runs, and 12 runs batted in to give the Mariners offense an added explosive dimension. After going 0-4 on Friday, France would love nothing more to bounce back with a big-time hitting performance.
Final Royals-Mariners Prediction & Pick
Even though Matt Brash may have all the talent in the world, he is still a rookie. Expect this game to come down to the wire, and even possibly go into extra innings. Bubic will surprisingly receive run support from a usually stagnant Royals lineup, and Kansas City is able to cover the +1.5 spread on Saturday night.
Final Royals-Mariners Prediction & Pick: Royals +1.5 (-154)
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