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The San Diego Padres and Kansas City Royals start a three-game series on Friday. No one would have thought in Spring Training that one of these teams would be 35-22, the other would be 30-29, and the team with the better record would be the Royals. It's a weird time in the American League Central, as the Royals aren't even the best team, with the Guardians being 2.5 games up with a 37-19 record. The Padres are locked in a battle with the Giants for second in the National League West, 6.5 games back of the Dodgers. It is time to continue our MLB odds series with a Royals-Padres prediction, pick, and how-to-watch.
Dylan Cease will get the ball for the Padres in this game, a pitcher coming off a string of bad outings. Cease started the year well but allowed 12 earned runs over his last three starts, drawing two losses and a no-decision. It's a far cry from Cease's start to the season, where he won five of his first seven starts. He still has good numbers overall, owning a 5-4 record and a 3.29 ERA. Cease has been a valued addition to the Padres' rotation so far, but they'll need more out of him in this game against a former American League Central rival during his time with the White Sox.
Michael Wacha is in line to get the start for the Royals. He had a difficult debut this season but turned it around over his last four starts, allowing two or fewer earned runs. Wacha has a 4-5 record, with a 4.31 ERA, but his ERA has been 2.37 over his past three starts.
Here are the MLB Odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
MLB Odds: Padres-Royals Odds
San Diego Padres: -1.5 (+126)
Moneyline: -134
Kansas City Royals: +1.5 (-152)
Moneyline: +114
Over: 8.5 (+100)
Under: 8.5 (-122)
How to Watch Padres vs. Royals
Time: 8:10 PM ET/5:10 PM PT
TV: SDPA, Bally Sports Network
Stream: fuboTV (Click for free trial)
Why The Padres Will Cover The Spread/Win
The Padres are better on the road, owning a 17-10 record. However, the Royals are also good at home. There aren't many reasons to back the Padres in this matchup, and there are better bets in this game.
Why The Royals Will Cover The Spread/Win
Cease faced Kansas City three times last season as a member of the White Sox and didn't have much success against them. He allowed 12 earned runs over 15 2/3 innings, losing two of three games despite substantial run support. Cease may be in trouble if he can't turn his performance against the Royals around, as the Padres won't give him the same run support he was getting last season. They scored five or fewer runs in six straight games and have just 2.6 runs/game over their last ten.
Michael Wacha has also rounded into form for the Royals, improving his ERA by over two points over his last three games. It could be an opportunity for the Royals to get an early lead.
Final Padres-Royals Prediction & Pick
The Royals have won seven of their last ten games, while the Padres are a mediocre squad. It's hard to trust the Padres to string together enough offense and pitching at the same time to get a win. One thing the Padres have going for them is that they are 17-10 on the road, but the Royals are even better at Kauffman Stadium with a 21-8 record. The Royals hold an edge on offense and are familiar with the Padres' starter, owning plenty of success against him last season. Take the Royals to continue their breakthrough season and win the opener.
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Final Padres-Royals Prediction & Pick: Royals ML (+114)
