The Minnesota Twins will travel to take on the Kansas City Royals in an Thursday afternoon Opening Day matchup at Kauffman Stadium. With that said, it’s a good time to check out our MLB odds series, which includes a Twins-Royals prediction and pick, laid out below.
Minnesota underwhelmed in 2022, finishing in third place in the AL Central with a 78-84 record. Despite a strong lineup, nothing seemed to go right for Minnesota last season. Some offseason moves should have the team in a better position to contend.
Kansas City seems to be stuck in a perpetual rebuild since winning the 2015 World Series. Last season, the Royals went 65-97, which ended up costing Mike Matheny his job. Now, Pedro Grifol has taken the reigns of the club and will have some talent at his disposal.
Here are the Twins-Royals MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Twins-Royals Odds
Minnesota Twins: -1.5 (+105)
Kansas City Royals: +1.5 (-126)
Over: 8.5 (-122)
Under: 8.5 (+100)
How To Watch Twins vs. Royals
TV: Bally Sports North, Bally Sports Kansas City
Stream: MLB.tv
Time: 4:10 PM ET/1:10 PM PT
*Watch MLB games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Twins Could Cover The Spread
Carlos Correa is once again a Twin after a tumultuous offseason that saw him agree to terms with both the Giants and Mets. Correa performed well in 2022 for Minnesota, hitting .291 with 24 doubles and 22 home runs in 136 games. Correa opted out of his contract before signing a huge deal to bring him back. Byron Buxton has one of the more exciting skillsets in the league, but has struggled with health. Buxton played in 92 games, his most since 2017, hitting a career-high 28 home runs. Trevor Larnach seems primed for a full-time job after 18 extra-base hits in 51 games last season. Jose Miranda delivered on his prospect status last season, with 40 extra-base hits in 125 games, posting a 116 OPS+.
Pablo Lopez was acquired from Miami in the offseason, and quickly became the ace of Minnesota. Lopez went 10-10 for a bad Miami team, posting a 3.75 ERA in 180.0 innings, the third straight season with an ERA below 4.00. Caleb Thielbar continues to turn back the clock, throwing harder than ever in 2022. The veteran lefty struck out 80 in 59.1 innings last season. Jhoan Duran may be the closer of the future after posting a 1.86 ERA with 89 strikeouts in 67.2 innings.
Why The Royals Could Cover The Spread
Bobby Witt Jr. had a decent debut season, hitting 20 home runs and stealing 30 bases for the Royals in 2022. However, Witt, Jr. struggled with strikeouts and plate discipline, posting an OBP south of .300. Those things should get ironed out with more experience. Vinnie Pasquantino burst onto the scene as a rookie last year, hitting 10 home runs and 1o doubles in 72 games, slashing an impressive .295/.383/.450. More playing time should be in order for Pasquantino. Salvador Perez is still one of the better catchers in the league, especially at the plate, hitting 23 home runs last season. MJ Melendez showed strong plate discipline and some power last season, slugging 18 home runs and walking 66 times in 129 games as a rookie.
Zack Greinke will make the Opening Day start once again for Kansas City, his second season in a return to his first team. Greinke was quietly solid last season, making 26 starts and pitching to a 3.68 ERA in 137.0 innings. Kansas City's bullpen is full of unproven arms, but Scott Barlow and Amir Garrett should provide reliable relief. Barlow pitched to a 2.14 ERA with 24 saves last season.
Final Twins-Royals Prediction & Pick
Minnesota's lineup seems like it will be too much for the young Kansas City pitching staff.
Final Twins-Royals Prediction & Pick: Minnesota -1.5 (+105), over 8.5 (-122)
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