With the postseason stage approaching, the Kansas City Royals (86-76) take on the New York Yankees (94-68) in the first game of the ALDS on Saturday at Yankee Stadium. This is interesting, especially with both teams coming off a great defended regular season. It’s more than just a game of the best players; it’s a chess match of the best strategists and deserves an exciting opening game. For fans and bettors looking for MLB winning free picks, this matchup features a clash between a couple of American League teams, which will be truly engaging.
Kansas City Royals vs. New York Yankees 1/5/24 Game Info and Odds |
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| When: | Saturday, October 5, 2024 at 6:38 PM ET |
| Where: | Yankee Stadium |
| Watch: | TBS, ESPN, MLB.TV |
| Royals odds: | +170 Moneyline |
| Yankees odds: | -204 Moneyline |
| Total Line: | 8 |
Kansas City Royals (86-76) vs. New York Yankees (94-68)
The Royals concluded their regular season with a solid 86-76 record, demonstrating notable improvement and resilience. Despite their recent tight wins against Baltimore and Atlanta that suggest a peak at the moment, Kansas City faced a challenging series against Detroit, where they struggled with three consecutive losses. These recent performances, characterized by their ability to maintain slim leads, highlight their readiness and tenacity crucial for postseason success.
| Kansas City Royals Last 5 Games | |||
| Date | Opponent | Score | SU |
| Oct 2, 2024 | BAL | 2-1 | Win |
| Oct 1, 2024 | BAL | 1-0 | Win |
| Sep 29, 2024 | ATL | 4-2 | Win |
| Sep 28, 2024 | ATL | 1-2 | Lose |
| Sep 27, 2024 | ATL | 0-3 | Lose |
Conversely, the Yankees, holding a solid 94-68 record, demonstrate a formidable home presence with significant runs and home runs compared to the Royals. This highlights their potent offensive capabilities. In their recent series against Cleveland, the Yankees clinched two wins but also suffered a defeat, illustrating some inconsistencies. This uneven performance could offer the Royals opportunities to capitalize in the upcoming games.
| New York Yankees Last 5 Games | |||
| Date | Opponent | Score | SU |
| Sep 29, 2024 | PIT | 6-4 | Win |
| Sep 28, 2024 | PIT | 4-9 | Lose |
| Sep 27, 2024 | PIT | 2-4 | Lose |
| Sep 26, 2024 | BAL | 10-1 | Win |
| Sep 25, 2024 | BAL | 7-9 | Lose |
Michael Wacha (13-8, 3.35 ERA) vs. Gerrit Cole (8-5, 3.41 ERA)
In the winning spear of the Royals with a record of 13-8 and an ERA of 3.35, Michael Wacha is not an easy man on the hill. He is skilled in keeping WHIP down and striking out when the game is on the line. This attribute of experience and calm under pressure will be important against the aggressive swinging Yankee hitters.
Starting less games than even his counterpart, Gerrit Cole still manages to put up a better ERA albeit riskier WHIP of 1.13. High strikeouts and fewer home runs in extremely clutch moments will be of great importance to the Yankees especially now that they are facing a Royals team that has started hitting.
MLB Odds/Point Spread: New York Yankees -204, Total Odds: 8
As expected, the Yankees are the strong home favorites for this contest, as seen from the -204 moneyline indicating the Yankees’ strong batting order and the fact that they play Yankee Stadium comfortably. The total line sits at eight, suggesting that a higher total may not be forthcoming.
Kansas City Royals Betting Trends
The Royals have gone towards UNDER in totals in their last five-all, of these being instant trends pointing towards UNDER and exciting low scoring games. This ability to win close affairs will strain Yankees’ batters with Wacha providing the fine lineup for the day.
New York Yankees Betting Trends
New York Yankees have been quite good on the road even if the team has some temp losses. Four of their last six home games have gone over suggesting that they have enough offense in their bats and with Cole’s pitching as a starter the offense may be more productive.
Kansas City Royals vs. New York Yankees 10/5/24 Betting Picks
Given the specifics, considering an upward trend of the Royals and a strong home court for the Yankees, such a game should be very competitive. On the contrary, the balance of play observed thus far puts the Yankees in the lowering position, although by a very slim margin, with the home advantage being a factor.
Assume for a second that we will be given an evenly matched contest but mostly of a lower scoring nature than one might expect. In particular, those searching for the best multi-handicapper picks should not overlook the slight possibility of placing a small bet on the Royals covering the points due to their recent trend of playing close games.