Kansas City Royals vs. Baltimore Orioles 10/2/24 MLB Betting Tips and Picks

Kansas City Royals vs. Baltimore Orioles 10/2/24 – With the postseason in full steam, the Kansas City Royals (86-76) are taking on the Baltimore Orioles (91-71) in Game 2 of the AL Wild Card series. This encounter set for Wednesday promises a continuation of their recent heated encounters that saw both teams striving for clarity on their position in the playoff bracket. For the fans seeking free MLB predictions today, this game provides a fascinating scenario of two teams at the remote ends of the spectrum regarding postseason experience and current form.

Kansas City Royals vs. Baltimore Orioles 10/2/24

Kansas City Royals vs. Baltimore Orioles 10/2/24

Team	RL	TOTAL	ML
Royals	+1.5 (-175)	7.5 over (-120)	+121
Orioles	-1.5 (+142)	7.5 under (-108)	-143

One step at a time.#HEYHEYHEYHEY pic.twitter.com/pI4Gpbgg5M

— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) October 1, 2024

This game sees the Royals as underdogs, which might surprise some given their robust finish to the season. The Orioles, favored to win, have a more potent lineup but have shown inconsistencies, particularly at home. The totals line is set at 7.5, reflecting the strong pitching matchup and recent trends favoring low-scoring games in their encounters.

Seth Lugo (16-9, 3.00 ERA) vs. Zach Eflin (5-2, 2.60 ERA)

Lugo Seth of the Royals has had a good season, proven by his 16 wins and a respectable 3.00 ERA in more than 206 innings pitched. Because of his walk rate (only 48) and in combination with 181 strikeouts, Lugo is a solid starter, and this is vital when teams look to make a robust playoff push. Nevertheless, that poses problems for Lugo at the plate, particularly against the Orioles who have a lot of power hitters on their roster in the postseason.

Zach Eflin is obviously in very good shape. His ERA is 2.60 and his WHIP is 1.12 but he missed part of a season. In terms of competition, he has pitched only 55.1 innings while only giving up only 51 hits and maintaining a good strike out to walk ratio. These objectives will be important for the Orioles since he is a pitcher who does not allow home runs (he has only allowed eight) and will be needed against the slugging Royals.

Clash of the Titans: In-depth Team Stats Analysis

The Royals, with a .248 batting average and a modest .403 slugging percentage, have had to rely heavily on their pitching staff, as reflected in their decent 3.76 ERA and 1.24 WHIP. Despite a lower home run count (170), their strategic base running and timely hits have kept them competitive. Their challenge lies in elevating their on-base percentage (.306), crucial for generating scoring opportunities against the Orioles’ stronger bullpen.

Power Surge: Orioles’ Offensive Firepower

Conversely, the Orioles flaunt a slightly better .250 batting average and an impressive .435 slugging percentage, highlighted by 235 home runs, leading to their higher run total (786). Their ability to get on base (.315 OBP) and capitalize on scoring opportunities has been a key component of their success. However, their pitching staff, with a near-matching ERA of 3.94 to the Royals, will need to curb their tendency to give up hits in critical moments.

Trends

Kansas City Royals Betting Trends

The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Kansas City’s last 8 games.
Kansas City are 5-2 SU in their last 7 games.
Kansas City are 4-11 SU in their last 15 games against Baltimore.
The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Kansas City’s last 9 games on the road.
Kansas City are 2-7 SU in their last 9 games when playing on the road against Baltimore.

Baltimore Orioles Betting Trends

The total has gone OVER in 4 of Baltimore’s last 6 games.
Baltimore are 5-2 SU in their last 7 games.
Orioles are 2-7 SU in their last 9 games at home.
Baltimore are 7-2 SU in their last 9 games when playing at home against Kansas City.
The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Baltimore’s last 6 games played in October.