Royals-Phillies prediction, odds, pick, how to watch
We're back with another prediction and pick for Saturday's slate of MLB action as we see a continuation of the Interleague series. The Kansas City Royals (36-75) will take on the Philadelphia Phillies (59-51) for the second game of their three-game series.
The Kansas City Royals are currently last in the AL Central and sit 21 games back of the divisional lead. They've had a season to forget and have been battling with the Oakland A's to avoid the worst record in the MLB. The Royals are leading that race having won their last seven games. No one thought to be saying this, but the Royals are one of the hottest teams in baseball right now. Alec Marsh (RHP) will make the start.
The Philadelphia Phillies are currently second in the NL East but sit 12.5 games back of the Atlanta Braves. They've managed to go 6-4 in their last 10 games but dropped a heartbreaker to the Royals last night. They're staring at the Wild Card race and know that they need to pick up wins in a series like this to still have a chance. Cristopher Sanchez (LHP) will be their starter.
Here are the Royals-Phillies MLB odds,
MLB Odds: Royals-Phillies Odds
Kansas City Royals: +1.5 (-102)
Philadephia Phillies: -1.5 (-118)
Over (9.5): -102
Under (9.5): -120
How To Watch Royals vs. Phillies
TV: Regional Coverage
Stream: MLB.TV
Time: 6:05 p.m. ET/ 3:05 p.m. PT
*Watch MLB games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*
Why The Royals Could Cover The Spread
The Royals are playing their best baseball of the season right now and when looking at their last seven games, it's hard to imagine that they're the same team that's played this whole season. After going down 0-2 early in last night's game, the Royals were able to claw back, tie the game up, grab the lead, and then never look back. Things got shaky as the Phillies inched closer during several points, but the Royals showed great resiliency and bounced back with runs of their own.
Alec Marsh (0-5) will pitch behind a 6.75 ERA through 24 innings of work. It's been a terrible season for Marsh thus far as he's still searching for his first win on the year as a starter. This may be the best time to grab his first one as their bats are finally seeing the ball well. Marsh pitched one inning and notched a strikeout in relief this last Tuesday. Now, he looks to extend their winning streak.
Why The Phillies Could Cover The Spread
The Phillies played a great game last night, but it seemed as though the Royals just wanted it more. While their bats were firing well, the Phillies defense was lazy at some points and allowed the Royals to stay in the game with their base running and small-ball plays in the infield. Their defense will need to tighten up if they want to avenge last night's loss. They'll have the clear edge in the pitching matchup and need a bounce-back win at home.
Cristopher Sanchez (0-3) pitches behind a 2.66 ERA through 47.1 innings of work. He's done a great job limiting runs as a starter, but it hasn't translated to wins as he's seen his bullpen lose leads late. Sanchez is still a solid option and does a great job of limiting free bases on walks. During his last start, he was able to throw six scoreless innings in an extra-innings loss. Look for him to be poised in grabbing this win today.
Final Royals-Phillies Prediction & Pick
Last night's game was an exciting back-and-forth and we may see a similar story the way these two teams match up. Both pitchers are looking for their first win on the season. Marsh hasn't been particularly good at all and the Red Sox will have a great chance to tee off on him at home. While Sanchez is also winless, his starts have been of much more quality and should be able to see a win if the bats can continue their hitting from last night. Let's go with the Phillies to rebound with a win at home.
Final Royals-Phillies Prediction & Pick: Philadelphia Phillies (-230)
