The Kansas City Royals (22-16) and Los Angeles Angels (14-23) will kick off a three-game series on Thursday, May 9, at 9:38 PM ET at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California. The Royals are favored on the road to win Game 1 with a moneyline of -120.
The Royals finished their last series, winning two out of three against the Milwaukee Brewers. Their previous battle was a 6-4 triumph in Game 3.
They have scored 14 runs over their past three matchups and four or more runs in six out of their last eight games. When scoring four or more runs, they have gone 5-5 in their last ten games.
Bobby Witt Jr. leads their offense and has amassed 48 hits with 20 RBIs. Salvador Perez and Maikel Garcia have also combined for 77 hits and 53 RBIs, which shows they have a balanced attack. Their team has been averaging .241 at the plate and giving up .240.
Michael Wacha (1-4) will take the mound with a 5.50 ERA and 31 strikeouts. In his latest 9.1 innings, he has allowed 18 hits and 11 runs. He is roughly the same on the road as he maintains a 5.56 ERA with a .295 batting average against him over 22.2 innings.
The Angles have won their last two games and went 2-1 overall against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the earlier series. Their previous success was a 5-4 showing in Game 3 of that series.
In their last three matchups, the Angels have compiled 15 runs, while in nearly half of their recent nine games, they have accumulated four or more runs. Four out of their latest five victories have landed wins by scoring more than a single run.
Taylor Ward leads their offense, boasting 39 hits and 24 RBIs. Zach Neto and Luis Rengifo also contribute, amassing 61 hits and 24 RBIs together. They are averaging .244 at the plate and allowing .237 as a team.
Reid Detmers (3-3) will be on the mound starting with a 4.24 ERA and 44 strikeouts this season. In his previous 10.2 innings pitched, Detmers has accumulated 14 hits and 12 runs. He has compiled a 5.00 ERA at home with a .261 batting average against.
MyBookie has the Kansas City Royals as a slight favorite for success here. Looking at market insights, the Royals have a 55.2 percent chance of winning.
The Royals have shown consistency more times than the Angels and appear much better on paper. Look for them to find a way to close out Game 1.
