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The Kansas City Royals (82-74) and the Washington Nationals (69-87) open a 3-game interleague series Tuesday. First pitch from Nationals Park is set for 6:45 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s MLB odds around the Royals vs. Nationals odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.
Season series: First meeting; Nationals won 2 of 3 in 2023
The Royals are still battling for a AL playoff spot with 6 games remaining, but Kansas City has dropped 7 in a row. The Royals have scored 2 or fewer runs in 5 consecutive games and have been shut out in each of the past 2 games.
The Under is 4-1 in the past 5 games for Kansas City, while going 15-5-1 in the past 21 outings dating back to Aug. 30. The total has gone low at a 9-2-1 clip in the past 12 games at home.
The Nationals dropped 3 out of 4 games against the Chicago Cubs over the weekend, and the Under has cashed in each of the past 3 games.
Washington is 5-3 in the past 8 interleague games, while the Under has cashed in 4 straight games against the AL. Kansas City has lost 4 straight interleague contests, and the Under is 3-1 in that span.
Royals at Nationals projected starters
LHP Cole Ragans vs. LHP Mitchell Parker
Ragans (11-9, 3.24 ERA) makes his 32nd start. He has a 1.15 WHIP, 3.2 BB/9 and 10.8 K/9 in 180 1/3 IP.
- Last start: No-decision, 7 IP, 1 ER, 4 H, 4 BB, 6 K in 3-1 home loss in 10 innings vs. Detroit Tigers last Tuesday
- 2024 road splits: 4-4, 3.07 ERA, 85 IP, 29 ER, 7 HR, 1.08 WHIP, .201 opponents’ batting average (OBA), 30 BB, 95 K in 14 starts
- Last 7 games: 2-2, 3.15 ERA, 40 IP, 14 ER, 17 BB, 51 K, 1.08 WHIP
- Has never faced Nationals
Parker (7-10, 4.44 ERA) makes his 29th start. He has a 1.30 WHIP, 2.5 BB/9 and 7.9 K/9 in 146 IP.
- Last start: Loss, 3 2/3 IP, 5 ER, 7 H (1 HR), 2 BB, 1 K in 10-1 road setback vs. New York Mets Tuesday
- 2024 home splits: 5-4, 2.81 ERA, 83 1/3 IP, 26 ER, 11 HR, 1.03 WHIP, .229 OBA, 13 BB, 72 K in 14 starts
- Last 7 games: 1-4, 6.48 ERA, 33 1/3 IP, 24 ER, 12 BB, 36 K, 1.65 WHIP
- Has never faced Royals
Who’s going yard? Here’s a breakdown of today’s best home run props with our top picks. Include the BetMGM bonus code SBWIRE to score a $1,500 first-bet offer.
Royals at Nationals odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list of MLB odds. Lines last updated at 6:14 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline: Royals -165 (bet $165 to win $100) | Nationals +135 (bet $100 to win $135)
- Run line (RL)/Against the spread (ATS): Royals -1.5 (+100) | Nationals +1.5 (-120)
- Over/Under (O/U): 8 (O: -105 | U: -115)
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Royals at Nationals picks and predictions
Prediction
Royals 3, Nationals 2
Moneyline
The ROYALS (-165) are an extremely risky play given the fact they’re on a 7-game losing skid. But Kansas City is still very much alive for a postseason spot, and it’s all there for them heading into the final week.
The Nationals (+135) turn to the southpaw Parker, but he has been extremely erratic lately. Look for the Kansas City offense to get the job done after a tough week.
Run line/Against the spread
The NATIONALS +1.5 (-120) aren’t a bad play if you are a little more conservative, and you’d like some insurance.
Washington is a respectable 12-11 in the past 23 games as an underdog on the run line since Aug. 23, winning 8 of those games outright.
Over/Under
UNDER 8 (-115) is a strong play based on recent trends.
The Under has cashed in 3 in a row for the Nats, while going 8-3-1 across the past 12 games. The Under is 4-0-1 in the past 5 games at home, too.
For the Royals, the Under is 4-1 in the past 5 outings, totaling just 4 runs of offense. The total has gone low at a 15-5-1 clip in the previous 21 games, too.
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