The Kansas City Royals will begin a four-game series with the New York Yankees in the Bronx on Thursday evening. It's time to continue our MLB odds coverage with a Royals-Yankees prediction and pick.
The late-breaking news that happened on Wednesday was the trade of Andrew Benintendi from the Royals to the Yankees for three players. Thus, it makes this series a lot juicier, knowing the Royals are giving the Yankees a player to play against them. There is no word on if Benintendi will play in Thursday's game, but the possibility exists. It is an acquisition the Yankees needed and a player the Royals had to sell off to prepare for the future.
The Royals are coming off an embarrassing series where they lost two of three at home to the Los Angeles Angels. Additionally, they have not scored a run since Monday. Kansas City is 4-6 over 10 games. Also, the Royals are 39-59 and in fourth place. Kansas City is 13 games out of first, and the season is quickly fading away. Meanwhile, the Yankees are 66-33 and first in the AL East and the AL. They have struggled recently, and thus adding Benintendi can help propel them.
The Royals will go with Brady Singer on the hill. Singer is 4-3 with a 3.82 ERA. Recently, he tossed six innings while allowing one earned run on two hits with 12 strikeouts in his last start. Singer is 1-0 with a 2.66 ERA in four starts in July. However, he has struggled against the Yankees in both starts in his career, going 0-1 with an 8.56 ERA. Singer did not last longer than 3 2/3 innings in either start.
Jameson Taillon will pitch for the Yanks. Taillon lasted 2 2/3 innings in his last start, allowing two earned runs on four hits with three walks. Subsequently, he hopes to improve in a month where he has gone 1-1 with a 6.63 ERA. Taillon is 6-1 with a 3.49 ERA in 10 starts at Yankee Stadium in 2022.
Here are the Royals-Yankees MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Royals-Yankees Odds
Kansas City Royals: +1.5 (+100)
New York Yankees: -1.5 (-120)
Over: 8.5 (-118)
Under: 8.5 (-104)
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Why The Royals Could Cover The Spread
The Kansas City Royals are running out of options. Benintendi is gone, and Bobby Witt Jr. is injured but listed as day-to-day. Whit Merrifield is one of the few offensive weapons left in an offense that has floundered. Merrifield is batting .242 with five home runs, 38 RBIs, and 48 runs in 2022. Additionally, he is batting .364 (4 for 11) against the Yankees this year. Merrifield has been ‘all or nothing' at Yankee Stadium in his career, where he is batting .238 with two home runs, four RBIs, and five runs over 15 games in the Bronx.
The Royals will cover the spread if they can mount any offense. Likewise, it means getting to Taillon early and preventing him from getting into a groove. It will then allow Singer to pitch more comfortably. Despite their recent bullpen issues, the Yankees are still not an easy team to come back against. The Royals would be wise to build an early lead, rather than put themselves in a hole.
Why The Yankees Could Cover The Spread
The Yankees feel that adding Benintendi can only bulk up an offense that relies too much on the long ball. When he does debut for the Yankees, it will help balance that aspect. Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton are two of the big bats that can terrorize a pitching staff on any night.
Judge is batting .333 (3 for 9) against the Royals this season, with all three hits being home runs. Likewise, he has excelled against the Royals throughout his career, batting .295 with eight home runs, 16 RBIs, and 17 runs. Judge is batting .299 with 20 home runs (he has 38 total), 37 RBIs, and 43 runs over 49 games at Yankee Stadium. Stanton is also batting .333 (4 for 12) against the Royals this year, with one home run, one RBI, and one run. Likewise, he is batting .275 with three home runs, seven RBIs, and nine runs in 17 games against the Royals in his career.
The Yankees will cover the spread if Taillon can continue his quality work at Yankee Stadium. Additionally, the Yankees need the bats like Judge and Stanton to give them a boost early. Benintendi will likely be fifth in the lineup if he plays today or if they sit him out until tomorrow. Ultimately, the Yankees will have some balance soon.
Final Royals-Yankees Prediction & Pick
The Yankees just felt the shame of New York, as the Mets swept them in a two-game series. Now, they put brush that aside and focus on the Royals. The Yankees swept the three-game series at Kauffman Stadium earlier this season and will attempt to replicate the feat here. Expect the Bronx Bombers to crush Kansas City.
Final Royals-Yankees Prediction & Pick: New York Yankees: -1.5 (-120)
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