New York (39-25) will be trying to bounce back from their series loss to Boston when they visit Kauffman Stadium on Wednesday afternoon to face Kansas City (34-32) in the second game of their three-game series at 7:40 PM. ET. Read on to find out which team picks up the win in this Yankees vs. Royals prediction and get more MLB Predictions.
Clarke Schmidt, 2-3, 4.04 ERA, will get the start for the Yankees. The Royals will counter with Kris Bubic, 5-3, 1.43 ERA.
New York is 8-2 in its last 10 games against Kansas City.
**This preview was written before Tuesday's game was played.**
New York Trying To Increase Division Lead
The Yankees followed up their series win over Cleveland with a series loss to Boston over the weekend. Despite their recent play, they still lead the AL East, with a 4.5-game lead over Tampa Bay and Toronto. They will try to increase their division lead with a win on Wednesday.
New York averages 5.43 runs per game, which is third in the league. Their .259 batting average is third in the league. Their .344 on base percentage leads the league, as does their .466 slugging percentage.
Aaron Judge has been the most consistent batter for the Yankees. He leads the team with a .396 batting average, 23 home runs, and 55 RBI.
New York is giving up 3.86 runs per game, which is 10th in the league. Opponents have a .220 batting average against the Yankees, which is second in the league. Their 3.78 ERA is 12th, while their 1.20 WHIP is ninth.
In his last start, Schmidt gave up seven hits and three runs in 5.2 innings, leading to a 4-0 loss to Cleveland. He is 2-0 with a 3.75 ERA in six games against Kansas City.
Kansas City Trying To Move Up AL Central Standings
The Royals followed up their series win over St. Louis with a series loss to the White Sox over the weekend. They are fourth in the AL Central standings, one game out of third place, and will try to move up the standings with a win on Wednesday.
Kansas City averages 3.37 runs per game, which is 27th in the league. Their .253 batting average is seventh in the league. Their .305 on base percentage is 23rd, while their .372 slugging percentage is 24th.
Maikel Garcia leads Kansas City with a .312 batting average, while Vinnie Pasquantino leads the team with 10 home runs and 38 RBI.
Kansas City is giving up 3.54 runs per game, which is fifth in the league. Opponents have a .233 batting average against the Royals, which is ninth in the league. Their 3.31 ERA is fifth, while their 1.20 WHIP is eighth.
In his last start, Bubic gave up four hits and one run in seven innings, leading to a 1-0 loss to Detroit. He is 0-2 with a 3.86 ERA in six games against New York.
Best Bets for New York Yankees vs. Kansas City Royals
Full-Game Side Bet
Insiders Status:
The Yankees have lost three of their last four road games, while the Royals split their last four games. Kansas City has the edge here because they've hit the ball well against right-handers, and Schmidt has been shaky on the mound, giving up at least three runs in three of his last four road starts. With New York's bullpen struggling, they will have a hard time slowing down the Royals.
New York won't be as successful offensively because Bubic has been dealing in recent weeks, giving up only three runs in his last six starts. He gave up five runs in his last four home starts and will keep New York's offense in check. Take Kansas City on the money line.
Full-Game Total Pick
Insiders Status:
New York averages 5.43 runs per game and averaged 6.67 runs per game in their last three games. They're batting .259 against right-handers, and they're facing a starter who gave up two runs in his last six starts and three runs in his last three starts against them. The Royals average 3.37 runs per game and averaged 3.33 runs per game in their last three games. They're batting .253 against right-handers, and they're facing a starter who gave up six runs in his last three starts and seven runs in his last three starts against them. Don't expect these teams to score enough points to push the score over the total. The Royals and Yankees played under the total in their last six meetings.
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