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

The Kansas City Royals have finally taken some hits in recent weeks. The Royals were one of the big surprises of the 2024 MLB season. They started 34-19 in their first 53 games, an astonishing transformation from the young and talented but very raw and unpolished team which stumbled to the finish line in 2023 at 56-106. This season's team was supposed to be a lot better than last year's club, but probably to the extent that the Royals finished near .500. Going from 56 to 81 wins would have marked a 25-win improvement, which is a huge leap forward. Very few experts were picking the Royals to be a 90-win team. The 34-19 start put Kansas City well ahead of a 90-win pace. The Royals were on pace to win over 100 games at the time. One wondered when the Royals would run into a little adversity.

It has finally happened, and it will be fascinating to see how this team responds.

The Royals lost six of seven games immediately after reaching the 34-19 mark. They won a few games but have since lost five of their last six games to fall to 40-31. They're still well ahead of schedule and are having a good season. They are still in line to make the playoffs, which would make the 2024 season a rousing and total success. However, if K.C. continues to falter, playoff dreams will die and the cold winter will be spent lamenting how that 34-19 start slipped into nothingness.

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

MLB Odds: Royals-Dodgers Odds

Kansas City Royals: +1.5 (-130)

Los Angeles Dodgers: -1.5 (+108)

Over: 7.5 (-118)

Under: 7.5 (-104)

How To Watch Royals vs. Dodgers

TV: Bally Sports Kansas City (Royals) / SportsNet LA (Dodgers) / MLB Extra Innings

Stream: MLB.tv

Time: 9:10 p.m. ET/6:10 p.m. PT

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

Why The Royals Could Cover The Spread

The Royals were able to cover the spread Friday night, losing by only one run. They covered the spread on Thursday against the New York Yankees, winning by a run when they were the underdog on the run line. Even though the Royals are struggling in a broader context, they aren't losing against the spread all the time, just some of the time.

In this matchup, the Royals have Seth Lugo on the mound. He has been one of the best starting pitchers in the American League, a dramatic and impressive rise for a pitcher whose career was stuck and in a relatively ordinary place not that many years ago. Lugo gives the Royals an excellent chance of covering here, and he might even enable Kansas City to win outright.

Why The Dodgers Could Cover The Spread

The Dodgers are in a weird spot as a team. They're not hitting consistently. They really miss Max Muncy, who is out with an injury. They don't have Clayton Kershaw. Chris Taylor's offense and Gavin Lux's defense are huge limitations. Mookie Betts has struggled recently. The Dodger offense has a breakout game once in a great while, but in terms of every-game output, Los Angeles has fallen well below expectations, given the investments it has made in its batting order. You might think, when reading about all these flaws and limitations, that the Dodgers are having a terrible season. They're not having a great season, to be sure, and they're not playing at the level needed to make the World Series. Yet, as mediocre as the Dodgers have been at times, they have the second-best record in the National League and are comfortably ahead in the National League West. Even in a year when the Dodgers are playing far below their potential, they're still in line to get a first-round playoff bye and host a playoff series.

They're good. They beat the Royals Friday. Kansas City has lost five of six. The Dodgers should cover.

Final Royals-Dodgers Prediction & Pick

The Royals are in a bad place as a team, but Seth Lugo is a good pitcher. Our recommendation: Pass on this one. Wait for a live play.

Final Royals-Dodgers Prediction & Pick: Royals +1.5