The Kansas City Royals (1-4, 1-4 home) host the Toronto Blue Jays (2-3, 2-3 away) in Game 3 of a four-game series between the two American League opponents. The two teams split the first two matchups, with the Royals winning the opener, 9-5, and Toronto bouncing back with a 4-1 victory on Tuesday night.
Wednesday’s first pitch is at 7:40 p.m. EST inside Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. Toronto is the betting favorite (-190 moneyline) and the over/under total is 8.5 runs.
What to Know – Toronto Blue Jays
Toronto snapped a three-game losing skid with Tuesday’s victory as the Blue Jays continue a ten-game roadstand to begin the season. The Blue Jays wrap up the four-game series versus Kansas City on Thursday before heading out west to face the Los Angeles Angels for a three-game set.
On the hill for the Blue Jays is expected to be right-hander Alek Manoah (0-0, 13.50 ERA, 3.30 WHIP). Manoah aims to bounce back after a shaky outing in the season opener where he allowed five runs over 3.1 innings of work.
After plating ten runs in the first game of the season, Toronto has averaged only 2.75 runs per game over the last four matchups. The Blue Jays are hitting .294 as a team, second in the majors, but just .233 with runners in scoring position.
Matt Chapman leads the MLB with a .579 batting average (11-of-19) through the first week of play. Bo Bichette and Dalton Varsho have the lone home runs for the Blue Jays lineup.
What to Know – Kansas City Royals
The Royals would like to pick up their second victory of the season and take a 2-1 series advantage over Kansas City. Following this home series, Kansas City heads to San Francisco for a three-game series over the weekend.
Veteran right-hander Zack Greinke (0-1, 3.38 ERA, 1.31 WHIP) gets the ball for Kansas City. The 39-year old held the Minnesota Twins to two earned runs on six hits and one walk over 5.1 innings in his first start. Greinke struck out four in the loss.
The offense wasn’t expected to be one of the top lineups in the majors this year and Kansas City has looked that way at the plate through five games. The Royals are hitting only .190 as a team and averaging 2.8 runs per game.
Salvador Perez has four hits in 15 at-bats (.267 avg) and Matt Duffy is hitting .714 (5-for-7) in the two games he’s seen action in. Bobby Witt Jr. and Vinnie Pasquantino, two of the Royals best young hitters, are a combined 4-for-32 at the dish.
The Pick is In
The Royals are going to be a team to fade for the majority of the season if they can’t figure out their hitting woes. Toronto’s offensive lineup is one of the best in the majors and expect Manoah to bounce back in his second trip to the mound. We like the Blue Jays by a bunch.
The Pick: Toronto Blue Jays -1.5
