Clarke Schmidt will get the start for the Yankees (50-47, 28-23 home) as they host the Royals (28-70, 13-34 away) at Yankee Stadium. The Royals will give the starting nod to Alec Marsh. Check out my prediction for game one of this American League matchup between the Kansas City Royals and New York Yankees.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS VS NEW YORK YANKEES BETTING PICK

The Pick: Kansas City Royals +1.5 Runs

This game will be played at Yankee Stadium at 7:05 ET on Friday, July 21st.

WHY BET THE KANSAS CITY ROYALS:

  • Against the runline, the Yankees have gone just 2-3 in their last five home games.
  • The Yankees have struggled against the runline when favored of late, failing to cover in two straight times.
  • The Yankees’ are just 7-12 in Clarke Schmidt’s 19 starts.

KANSAS CITY ROYALS SEEK TO IMPROVE THEIR ROAD RECORD

This season, the Royals have an overall series record of 4-25-2 and are currently 5th in the AL Central. Kansas City’s overall record is 28-70, which includes their current two game losing streak. On the road, the Royals are 13-34 and 15-36 at home.

The Royals will turn to starter Alec Marsh, who has an 0-3 record so far this season. Through three appearances, his ERA stands at 5.40, and he has a K/9 of 12.6. Additionally, Marsh has a FIP of 6.62 and an OBP of .324.

Despite his efforts, Alec Marsh was charged with the loss in his last outing against the Rays, as the Royals fell to defeat. The right-hander pitched six innings, surrendering two runs.

Over their last ten games, the Royals are ranked 18th in the league in scoring at 3.6 runs per game. Their season-long scoring average of 3.7 per contest puts them 26th in baseball. In terms of on-base percentage, Kansas City is 23rd, with an OBP currently sitting at .293. The team’s collective batting average is .232 (21st).

Bobby Witt Jr. has been one of the Kansas City Royals’ most productive hitters in 2023. The young slugger is batting .251 with 51 RBIs and 16 home runs on the season.

WILL THE NEW YORK YANKEES TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS AT HOME?

On an overall record of 50-47, the Yankees are 5th in the AL East. In their 31 series, New York has gone 15-11-5 which includes losing each of their last three sets. On the road, the Yankees are 22-24 and are 28-23 at home.

Clarke Schmidt takes the mound for the New York Yankees, boasting a 5-6 record. He has made 20 appearances so far this season, with an ERA of 4.31 and a K/9 rate of 9.1. His FIP stands at 4.22, and his OBP is .315.

Clarke Schmidt earned a win in his last outing, as the team he was pitching for defeated the Rockies 6-3. The right-hander allowed two runs and three hits over six frames.

The Yankees have been one of the top power lineups in the league of late, having hit 10 home runs over their last ten games. Compared to other clubs, this is 8th best in that span. For the season, they are ranked 5th in home runs and 13th in slugging percentage. Overall, New York is averaging 4.4 runs per game (17th).

Gleyber Torres has been a major contributor to the Yankees’ offense this season, having hit 14 home runs and boasting a .263 batting average. In the last five games alone, he has led the team with one long ball.