The forecast from Atlanta on Saturday calls for broken clouds and temperatures in the mid-70s. First pitch for this one is 7:20 PM ET from Truist Park, and the Braves are on a four-game winning streak, while the Royals are 85-75 overall.</
Reynaldo Lopez is starting for the Braves, while the Royals are sending Seth Lugo to the mound. Lopez and the Braves are the heavy favorites, with money line odds sitting at -154, while the odds for a Royals win are at +129. The over/under line is currently 7.5 runs, and BSKC will be televising this interleague matchup.
Kansas City vs. Atlanta Matchup At A Glance
- Teams: Royals at Braves
- Where: Truist Park Atlanta
- Date: Saturday, September 28th
- Betting Odds ATL -154 | KC +129 O/U 7.5
Royals vs Braves Last Game Recap
The most recent game o of this Braves vs Royals series came right down to the end, as the Royals rallied late but still fell short with the Braves winning 3-2 at home. Heading into the game, the Braves were favored at -189 on the money line.
Max Fried pitched well for the Braves in this one, going 8 2/3 innings and striking out nine without giving up a run. He picked up a win in the game, while Raisel Iglesias closed things out. Brady Singer had a decent outing for the Royals, giving up two earned runs in six innings of work.
Sean Murphy provided the big hit for the Braves, as he homered in the second inning and finished with two RBIs. Michael Massey had a two-hit game for the Royals.
Royals Preview
When the Royals are favored, they are 41-40 on the run line, and as underdogs, they are 46-33. Their overall run line record is 87-73, with an average run differential of +0.6 runs per game. Kansas City is 85-75 overall and has a 3-7 record in their last 10 games, including a loss in the first game of this series vs. the Braves.
This season, the average total for Royals games is 8.6 runs, and their over/under record is 69-86. The under has hit in 16 of their 20 games with a total of 7.5 runs, and 81.2% of their games have had higher total lines than today's 7.5-run line.
Seth Lugo gets the start for the Royals today as he faces the Braves on the road. He has made 32 starts this season and has a record of 16-9 with an ERA of 3.03. Lugo's WHIP for the season is currently 1.09. In his 32 appearances, he has turned in 22 quality starts and is coming off a rough outing where he gave up two earned runs in seven innings of work. Before that, he had won three straight starts. Lugo's ERA on the road is 3.24, and he has a record of 9-3 away from home.
Heading into today's game, the Royals are averaging 4.6 runs per game, which is 13th in the league. They have been a better offensive team at home this season, averaging 4.8 runs per game. Kansas City is one of the best teams in the league at putting the ball in play, as they have the 2nd fewest strikeouts in the MLB this season. The Royals have also been a tough team to walk, as they are just 25th in the league in walks.
Salvador Perez and Bobby Witt Jr. have been the Royals' top two power threats this season, with Perez having 27 homers and Witt Jr. sitting at 32. Witt Jr. has been the better all-around hitter this season, batting .332, and Perez is also hitting a solid .271. However, Perez comes into the game having gone just 2/14 in his last five games.
Braves Preview
Atlanta has an overall series record of 29-17-7, and they have won three straight series, including two on the road. The Braves have an average run margin of 0.6 runs per game and a run line record of 33-44 at home and 43-38 on the road.
With a 4-game winning streak, the Braves are 6 games behind the Phillies in the NL East. Their straight-up record is 87-71, and their over/under record for the season is 58-94. The average total in their games is 8.1 runs, and their last two games have gone under the total.
Reynaldo López gets the start for the Braves today and comes in with a record of 8-5 and an ERA of 2.03. He has made 24 starts this season and has pitched well, turning in 13 quality starts. Lopez's ERA is 1.83 at home compared to 2.12 on the road. In his last outing, he finished with a no-decision, going just one inning and not giving up a run. Before that, he had won two straight starts. One of those wins came on the road. So far, López has given up 10 homers and is averaging 9.58 strikeouts per nine innings.
Over the Braves' last nine games, Michael Harris II has been on fire, going 18/40 with five home runs and nine RBIs. He has also scored 11 runs during this stretch. For the season, Marcell Ozuna is batting .308 with 39 homers and 102 RBIs, while Matt Olson is batting .245 with 29 homers.
As a team, the Braves are 3rd in home runs and come into the game averaging 4.4 runs per game. They have been a better offensive team on the road this season, averaging 4.8 runs per contest. Overall, they are batting .243, which is 9th in the league.
Royals vs. Braves Prediction: Braves ML -154
Our prediction for today's Royals vs. Braves matchup is to take the Braves on the money line at -154. We have the Braves winning this one by a score of 6-4, giving you a little bit of wiggle room to take the Braves on the run line if you prefer.
Looking at the starting pitchers, Reynaldo López is projected to finish with seven strikeouts, which is the fourth-best among all starters today. As for Seth Lugo, he is projected to finish with five K's, which is seventh worst.
