The Baltimore Orioles (28-62) visit the Kansas City Royals (37-53) Saturday at Kauffman Stadium for the second of their three-game series. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook‘s lines around the Orioles vs. White Sox odds with MLB picks and predictions.
Kansas City crushed Baltimore 9-2 in the first game of the series with Royals leadoff hitter 2B Whit Merrifield going 4-for-4 with a double and three RBIs.
Season series: Royals lead 1-0.
Baltimore hasn’t officially announced its starter but FanGraphs and Rotowire project Orioles RHP Jorge Lopez as Saturday’s starter.
Lopez is 2-12 with a 5.95 ERA (84 2/3 IP, 56 ER), 1.63 WHIP, 4.0 BB/9 and 8.6 K/9 across 18 starts.
- Last outing: Loss, 12-1, with 4 IP, 2 ER, 8 H, 1 BB and 4 K vs. the Chicago White Sox July 9.
- 2021 road splits: 1-7 with a 6.39 ERA (43 2/3 IP, 31 ER), 1.70 WHIP and 2.0 K/BB rate in nine starts.
RHP Brady Singer is Kansas City’s projected starter. Singer is 3-6 with a 4.52 ERA (85 2/3 IP, 43 ER), 1.48 WHIP, 3.8 BB/9 and 9.6 K/9 over 18 starts.
- Last outing: No-decision with 6 IP, 1 ER, 5 H, 1 BB and 6 K in Kansas City’s 5-2 loss to the Cincinnati Reds July 7.
- 2021 home splits: 2-3 with a 3.99 ERA (49 2/3 IP, 22 ER), 1.45 WHIP and 2.8 K/BB rate in 10 starts.
MLB betting offers/promotions
BetMGM Sportsbook offers available in CO, IA, IN, MI, NJ, PA, TN, VA, WV and Washington D.C. New customer offers, terms and conditions apply.
- Bet just $1 on either team’s money line, WIN $100 (in free bets) if either team hits a home run during the game. Bet now!
- RISK-FREE FIRST BET. Place your first bet, if it loses you’ll get up to $600 in free bets. Bet now!
Orioles at Royals odds, lines, picks and prediction
MLB odds courtesy of BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports for a full list. Odds last updated at 2:15 p.m. ET.
- Money line: Orioles +125 (bet $100 to win $125) | Royals -150 (bet $150 to win $100)
- Against the spread/ATS: Orioles +1.5 (-155) | Royals -1.5 (+125)
- Over/Under: 9.5 (O: -105 | U: -115)
Prediction
Royals 8, Orioles 5
Money line (ML)
BET the ROYALS (-150) for 1 unit because more than 85% of the cash is on K.C.’s money line (according to Pregame.com), and a majority of those wagers have to be “sharp” money given Saturday’s sports slate.
For instance, round three of The Open Championship tees off Saturday morning, and Game 5 of the NBA Finals tips off later that night. So it’s not like your “average Joe” is betting the Orioles-Royals game.
Furthermore, Singer’s pitching peripherals suggest his basic numbers could see some progression in the second half of the season; whereas Lopez’s advanced pitching splits paint an even bleaker picture of his 2021 campaign.
Singer’s ERA estimators (xFIP, FIP and SIERA) are all lower than his standard ERA while Lopez grades in the 21st percentile or worse in exit velocity, expected wOBA, hard-hit rate, chase rate and whiff rate.
FANTASY BASEBALL: Serious about winning your league? Sign up for BaseballHQ.com to dominate the competition. Subscribe now!
Run line/Against the spread (ATS)
PASS since we don’t know for sure who’s starting this game, and K.C. is only 6-12 in Singer’s 18 starts this year so the Royals -1.5 (+125) isn’t enticing enough.
Over/Under (O/U)
“LEAN” to the OVER 9.5 (-115) for a half unit because the Royals are 24-18-2 O/U at home this year, and the Over has cashed in eight of Baltimore’s previous nine games.
PLAY: Free, daily sports pick’em contests. Play now!
Bet on this game now at BetMGM Sportsbook. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com. Please gamble responsibly.
Follow Geoff Clark on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage. This information is for entertainment purposes only. We make no representations or warranties as to the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of any content.
[lawrence-newsletter]
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1372]