The Baltimore Orioles (91-71 regular season) host the Kansas City Royals (86-76 regular season) in Game 1 of the American League Wild Card. The Orioles finished the season strong, winning their final three games in a row, but were unable to chase down the New York Yankees in the American League East and therefore, are the first Wild Card team or the fourth-seed.
As for the Royals, they finished the season with a win on the final day, clinching the second Wild Card spot or the fifth seed. This will be the first postseason appearance for the Royals since they won the World Series in 2015.
Can the Orioles improve on last year’s disappointing postseason exit, or will the Royals build on the momentum of a great season to pull the upset in Game 1?
Kansas City Royals vs. Baltimore Orioles Odds
| Team | Run Line | Total | Money Line |
| Kansas City Royals | +1.5
-180 |
Over 7
+102 |
+130 |
| Baltimore Orioles | -1.5
+150 |
Under 7
-122 |
-155 |
| **Odds Subject to Change** | |||
Kansas City Royals vs. Baltimore Orioles Match Details
- Fixture: Kansas City Royals vs. Baltimore Orioles
- Date and Time: Tuesday, October 1st, 2024 at 4:00 PM ET
- Location: Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore, Maryland
Key Stats
Kansas City Royals
The Royals are set to start Cole Ragans to begin their long-awaited postseason run. Ragans ended the regular season with a record of 11-9 and he had an ERA of 3.14. He also was fifth in the league with 223 strikeouts. Ragans was better on the road this season compared to at home, posting a record of 4-4, but also posting an ERA of 2.87 over 15 starts. He struggled against Baltimore this season, posting a record of 0-1 with an ERA of 7.88. In two starts against the Orioles, Ragans allowed seven earned runs across 8.0 innings.
The standout for the Royals this season was Bobby Witt Jr., who led the team in batting average (.332), home runs (32), and RBIs (109). As a team, the Royals averaged 4.53 runs per game, while allowing 3.97 runs per game.
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles will counter by starting Corbin Burnes. He posted a record of 15-9 this season and had an ERA of 2.92. Burns has been excellent at home this season, posting a record of 8-5 and an ERA of 2.94 across 17 starts. Burns has made two starts against the Royals this season, posting a record of 1-0. Against the Royals, he has an ERA of 3.97, allowing five earned runs across 11.1 innings.
The Orioles had multiple standouts this season, starting with Gunnar Henderson. The shortstop led the Orioles in batting average (.281) and had the most hits on the team (177). Right Fielder Anthony Santander led Baltimore in home runs (44) and RBIs (102). As a team, the Orioles averaged 4.85 runs per game, while allowing 4.31 runs per game.
Prediction
It is great to see the Royals back in the postseason after nearly a decade. That said, the Orioles have been a much more consistent team this season. Burns has been the ace for Baltimore all season, so while Ragans has been solid for the Royals, his struggles against Baltimore look to be the clear difference. For that reason, backing the Orioles to win Game 1 will be our best bet.
Final Pick
Baltimore Orioles ML (-155)
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