Royals vs. Yankees: Game 1 predictions, odds and picks — Sept 9, MLB 2024

On September 9, the Yankees and KC Royals will settle in for a series that will have massive implications for both clubs. As both eye postseason glory, the three-game set will be a good test of both Kansas City and New York.

The last series between the two clubs took place in mid-June. The Yankees dominated, outscoring the Royals 28-12 to take four games out of three.

Yankees vs Royals recent form and records

The Yankees are fresh off a three-game series with the Chicago Cubs. Although the Bronx Bombers came away with two wins in three games, they only scored six runs, and the series represented their first series without hitting or allowing a home run in a decade. Now 82-61, the Yankees retain a 0.5-game lead over the O's in the AL East, and are 4-6 in their last ten.

"The Yankees did not hit or allow a home run in the series against the Cubs. It is the 1st time this has happened since September 5-7, 2014 against the Royals (via @YESNetwork)" - Talkin' Yanks

The Royals, 79-65, are in the second AL Wild Card spot but trail the Cleveland Guardians in the AL Central by 2.5 games. Also 4-6 in their last ten, KC swept the Twins in their last series over the weekend.

Players to Watch

Starting Pitchers

NYY: Carlos Rodon (9-10, 3.35 ERA) vs KC: Brady Singer (14-9, 4.19 ERA)

Rodon has a 1.221 WHIP, 2.9 BB/9 and 172 K in 152.1 IP.

Last Start: ND, 6 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 2 BB, 11 K vs TX

Career vs KC: 4-6, 4.82 ERA (61.2 IP, 35 ER) 7 HR in 12 Games

Singer has a 1.238 WHIP, 2.4 BB/9 and 150 K in 158.1 IP.

Last Start: Loss, 5.2 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K vs CLE

Career vs NYY: 0-2, 5.19 ERA (26 IP, 15 ER) 3 HR in 5 Games

Must Watch Hitters

Yankees

Although the Yankees have struggled to get runs across the plate, Gleyber Torres continues to make an impact. A .375 hitter over the past week, the Venezuelan has walked five times and logged a pair of RBIs during that period.

As other, bigger bats have fallen relatively silent, Jazz Chisholm Jr. has stepped up. The Bahamian who arrived in a trade from the Miami Marlins in July has hit .320/.346/.500 with 7 steals, 2 home runs and three RBIs over the past two weeks.

Alex Verdugo's 17 hits leads the entire Yankees roster since August 25. Though a .235 hitter on the season, Verdugo has hit .277 with 2 home runs and 11 RBIs in 23 career games against Kansas.

Royals

Third baseman Maikel Garcia has hit a team-best .289 over the past fortnight. A career .288 hitter against the Yankees, the 24-year-old has already reached 54 RBIs this season, a career high.

Veteran outfielder Tommy Pham has also been making an impact and has a home run and four RBIs in his last six games for KC. A 36-year-old veteran, the club will look to Pham for vital experience when they make their inevitable appearance in October.

Catcher Sal Perez is due for a rebound. Despite being in the midst of his best season since 2021, Perez is hitting just .136 over the past week of play.

Royals vs Yankees baseball betting odds

Monday 9/9	Money Line	Run Spread	Total Runs
New York Yankees	-185	-1.5 +115	U 8.5 -115
Kansas City Royals	+150	+1.5 -140	O 8.5 -105

Royals vs Yankees expert picks and game prediction

The Yankees, despite holding onto their lead over the Baltimore Orioles in the AL East, have been experiencing some severe defensive difficulties lately. At the same time, the Royals rank 24th out of 30 teams in runs scored over the past two weeks.

When it comes to pitching, KC appears to have the edge. Over the past seven days, the team's combined ERA of 2.33 ranks fourth in the MLB, while the Yankees rank 12th over that period. Although the matchup is fairly even, the Royals seem to have the edge as they have the momentum.

Run Line: +1.5 -140

Total Runs: O 8.5 -105

Prediction: Royals W, 9-4