Oakland (-109) @ Kansas City (-101) Total 7
By Tony George
No one hotter than Kansas City right now, winners of 9 out of their last 10 (15-3 their last 18) and a half game out of first place and chasing the Tiger Tail of Detroit. An interesting stat for the Royals, when they score 4 runs or more they are an unreal 52-8. The issue on Monday is simple, can they score 4 runs against Sonny Grey and the A’s at home keep the streak alive?
KC sends Ventura to the hill who has been red hot, winning his last 3 and posting an ERA under 3 in those games. Neither team hits right handers well, especially their last 5 games as Oakland has struggled at the plate and enter this game against a hot right hander hitting just .213 as a team their last 5 against righties. Kansas City is smashing southpaws but also are struggling against right handers hitting just .216 their last 5 against right handers. Looks like a pitcher’s duel to me, which if past results mean anything, the advantage in a low scoring game favors the visitor.
Since the A’s traded away Cespedes, they have stunk it up at the plate and quite frankly have been inconsistent overall but they are making a post season run none the less with pitching carrying them, and Kansas City is simply on fire so this side play does not hold a ton of value in my opinion. If anyone knows Kansas City, and I live here, they go on runs both good and bad and no doubt will again go on a losing streak at some point as the noose gets tighter, and they are especially suspect against one of MLB’s best teams with the pressure of this run in place.
Kansas City took 2 out of 3 against the A’s a little over a week ago, so Oakland comes in here with revenge and they are 9-2 in Greys last 11 road starts. The VALUE in this game I believe lies in the UNDER 7 runs, as in this series the Under has cashed in 10-2-1 in the last 13 meetings and this should be a tight, well played ballgame, in Kansas City on a cooler than normal Monday evening game
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