Kansas City Royals vs. Baltimore Orioles Picks and Prediction for Sunday, July 12, 2026
Use Code WWWC The Kansas City Royals visit the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday at 1:35 PM ET at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore, Maryland. Kansas City enters with a 38-57 record and sits fifth in the AL Central, while Baltimore is 44-51 and fourth in the AL East. The Orioles have won the first two games of the series and carry a two-game winning streak into the finale, while the Royals have dropped three straight contests. Seth Lugo gets the ball for Kansas City against Shane Baz for Baltimore as both clubs close out the first half of the season. Cash a winning ticket with our free MLB picks
Kansas City Royals Looking to Snap Their Three-Game Losing Streak
Kansas City has been respectable offensively despite its place in the standings. The Royals rank 11th in MLB with a .248 team batting average while scoring 408 runs on 792 hits. They have added 97 home runs with a .318 on-base percentage and a .400 slugging percentage. Bobby Witt Jr. continues to lead the lineup with a .288 average, 101 hits, 13 home runs, 39 RBI, and 30 stolen bases. Jac Caglianone has delivered 15 home runs, while Carter Jensen leads the club with 49 RBI.
The pitching staff has been the Royals' biggest weakness all season. Kansas City ranks 28th in MLB with a 4.86 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP while allowing opponents to bat .263. The staff has surrendered 119 home runs and too often fallen behind early, forcing the lineup to chase games.
Injuries: Vinnie Pasquantino (Day-To-Day), Stephen Kolek (Bereavement), Nick Mears (15-Day IL), Carlos Estévez (60-Day IL), Maikel Garcia (10-Day IL).
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Baltimore Orioles Looking to Carry Momentum into the All-Star Break
Baltimore has shown better offensive balance over the past week. The Orioles rank 21st in MLB with a .238 batting average while totaling 433 runs, 753 hits, 111 home runs, a .320 on-base percentage, and a .397 slugging percentage. Pete Alonso leads the club with 20 home runs and 62 RBI, while Taylor Ward owns a team-best .256 batting average. Samuel Basallo has added 15 home runs, Adley Rutschman has driven in 47 runs, and Blaze Alexander is batting .306.
The Orioles have also been more dependable on the mound than the Royals. Baltimore owns a 4.40 ERA and a 1.37 WHIP while holding opponents to a .253 batting average. Those numbers are not among the league leaders, but they compare favorably to Kansas City's staff. The bullpen has protected late leads during the first two games of this series.
Injuries: Ryan Helsley (15-Day IL), Yaramil Hiraldo (60-Day IL), Keegan Akin (15-Day IL), Chris Bassitt (15-Day IL), Colin Selby (60-Day IL).
Pitching Matchup
Kansas City Royals – Seth Lugo
Lugo is 3-6 with a 4.56 ERA and a 1.43 WHIP across 100.2 innings. He has allowed 112 hits while striking out 80 batters and walking 32. The veteran has flashed solid command at times but has struggled to consistently limit hard contact.
Baltimore Orioles – Shane Baz
Baz enters with a 4-9 record, a 4.21 ERA, and a 1.37 WHIP over 107.0 innings. He has allowed 105 hits while striking out 90 batters and has surrendered only nine home runs. Baz has generally kept Baltimore competitive and enters with the stronger overall numbers.
Kansas City Royals vs. Baltimore Orioles Game Pick
- Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore has the edge with the better recent form, the stronger pitching staff, and the more reliable starter. Baz has been more effective than Lugo throughout the season, and the Orioles have already shown they can take advantage of Kansas City's pitching in this series. Alonso, Ward, and Basallo give Baltimore enough production to support another quality outing from the pitching staff. Until the Royals show more consistency on the mound, the Orioles remain the play.
Kansas City Royals vs. Baltimore Orioles Over/Under Pick
- Under
The under is the stronger play because both starters are capable of working through the middle innings without allowing a big scoring outburst. Baltimore has played cleaner baseball during its current winning streak, while Kansas City's offense has cooled after a productive stretch earlier in the week. Baz has limited home runs well, and Lugo has enough experience to keep the Royals within reach if he avoids early mistakes. Expect a controlled series finale with scoring cashing under the total.
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