The Kansas City Royals will face off against the Atlanta Braves on Saturday evening at Truist Park, with the first pitch scheduled for 7:20 p.m. ET.
Kansas City (85-74 SU, 87-72 RL, and 70-85-4 O/U) is set to start right-hander Seth Lugo. The 34-year-old pitcher boasts an impressive record of 16-9, along with a 3.03 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP over 32 games (204.2 innings) this season.
Meanwhile, Atlanta (86-71 SU, 73-84 RL, and 59-92-6 O/U) has yet to announce a probable starter. Head coach Brian Snitker mentioned that a reliever could pitch in all four remaining games of the season, depending on their assessments moving forward. “The extra rest this week reset things,” he noted, according to Braves reporter Grant McAuley.
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*This article was published prior to the conclusion of Friday’s game.
Royals Regain Their Footing Against Washington
Kansas City’s recent sweep of the Washington Nationals helped restore their confidence after a disheartening seven-game losing streak. The Royals are vying for a spot in the American League playoffs, but the competition remains stiff with teams like Detroit and Minnesota also in the hunt.
This season, KC holds a record of 40-38 on the road and 54-46 during evening games. They have a 10-12 record in September but have managed a 33-29 record since the All-Star break. The question remains: do they have the drive to push deep into the postseason?
Lugo is the expected starter for Kansas City. In his most recent performance, he allowed two runs and three hits over seven innings against San Francisco. On the road, he has an impressive 9-3 record with a 2.67 ERA and 1.03 WHIP across 15 starts. Although his WHIP has remained steady in the second half of the season, his ERA has risen from 2.48 to 3.94. Despite this increase, he has successfully limited four of his last five opponents to two or fewer runs.
Braves Gear Up for a Final Push
The Atlanta Braves enjoyed a brief hiatus before this series, as their games scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday were postponed due to Hurricane Helene. They remain in contention for an NL Wild Card spot, engaged in a tight race against New York and Arizona.
Atlanta holds a 43-33 record at Truist Park and stands at 57-48 in night games this year. With a 12-9 record in September and a 33-29 record in the latter half of the season, they are poised for a strong finish.
This extra time off has revitalized the Braves as they gear up for a late-season charge. The starting pitcher for tomorrow’s game remains uncertain, but options include Charlie Morton or Reynaldo López, who could be reinstated from the injured list. Atlanta’s bullpen has proven to be formidable, ranking third in ERA (3.30) and fifth in WHIP (1.19) throughout the season.
Analyzing the Best Bets for Royals vs. Braves
Given the stakes, Atlanta appears to have more motivation in this matchup. Kansas City has the opportunity to secure a postseason berth if Minnesota loses tonight, placing them in a favorable position in the playoff race while the Braves still have work ahead. Although the starting pitcher for Saturday’s game is not yet determined, the home team seems likely to emerge victorious. Historically, Atlanta has performed well against Lugo, who has shown signs of regression since the All-Star break (3.73 xERA).
Outside of their recent sweep of the Nationals, the Royals have struggled, with a batting average of .213 and an on-base percentage of .283 this month, averaging just 3.1 runs per game. They rank last in MLB for weighted on-base average (woBA) at .260 and wRC+ at 63 over the past 30 days. In contrast, Atlanta ranks among the top ten in these categories during the same period. Additionally, Kansas City has not been as effective on the road compared to home games this season.
For these reasons, placing a bet on the Braves to secure the win on Saturday appears to be a wise choice.
