Kansas City Royals (41-53) at New York Yankees (59-34)
7:05 PM ET on MLBN
FREE Expert MLB Picks
Starting Pitchers
KC: B. Chen (5-3, 4.06)
NYY: C. Sabathia (12-3, 3.13)
Alex Rodriguez will be searching for home run No. 600 when the New York Yankees host the Kansas City Royals in game one of a four game set on Thursday in the Bronx.
The Yankees third baseman needs to more two long balls to crest that milestone and will get his chance against a team that Rodriguez hit his first career homer against in June 1995, and No. 500 in August 2007.
The Yankees’ meanwhile, who were 9-2 for the month of July heading into the All-Star break, have started their nine game home stand 3-2 including a 10-6 win over the Angeles on Wednesday. Rookie Colin Curtis jacked a three-run homer to seal the deal in the bottom seventh after Los Angeles had crept to within one. Rodriquez was held at 598, going 0 for 5 with an RBI groundout.
After starting the second half of the season with three straight losses to Oakland, Kansas City took two of three from Toronto after a 5-2 home victory on Wednesday. Catcher Brayan Pena, who was making only his sixth start of the season, had a career-high three hits and recorded his second career steal in the win.
Despite their record the Royals aren’t as bad as they appear on paper and will get a boost from outfielder Rick Ankiel, who the are likely to recall in time for their four game stint against New York. Ankiel as missed 68 games with a right quadriceps injury and has been on a minor league rehab assignment with Class AAA affiliate Omaha. He hit .210 with three home runs and nine RBIs in 19 games before going on the disabled list May 3.
New York will send lefty C.C. Sabathia to the mound in game one. The 290-pounder struck out six batters while walking four, and allowed four runs — three earned — over seven innings of work on Friday night in a 5-4 win over Tampa Bay. He did not factor in the final decision, finishing out of the win column for the first time in eight starts. The 2007 AL CY Young winner hasn’t lost a start since May 23 and should only get better as he has always been considered a second-half pitcher. More recently he is 7-4 with a 2.94 ERA, in 14 starts against the Royals.
The Royals will counter with a lefty of their own, Bruce Chen. Chen is 1-3 with a 6.14 ERA in 10 starts against the Yankees, whom he hasn’t faced since 2006. He’s coming in off a no decision after allowing four runs over 5 2-3 innings in a 6-5 loss to Oakland last Thursday.
The odds makers have the Yankees at –1-½ – favorites with a run total of 9.
Although Sabathia was pitched well against the Royals historically, David DeJesus, Billy Butler and Jason Kendall have all enjoyed success against him. On the flip side, the Yankees have scattered success when facing Chen including Mark Teixeira who is 7 for 11 with six home runs.
New York has won 11 of its last 14 games, and retains its 2 1/2-game lead over Tampa Bay in the AL East. In spite of the Royals diminutive success against Sabathia, I expect the Yankees to break out on this one early on their way to a big win and the OVER.
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Kansas City Royals Betting Trends:
- Kansas City is 2-7 SU in its last 9 games
- The total has gone OVER in 5 of Kansas City’s last 7 games on the road
- The total has gone UNDER in 12 of Kansas City’s last 17 games when playing NY Yankees
- Kansas City is 2-6 SU in their last 8 games when playing NY Yankees
New York Yankees Betting Trends:
- NY Yankees are 11-3 SU in their last 14 games
- NY Yankees are 5-2 SU in their last 7 games at home
- The total has gone UNDER in 12 of NY Yankees’s last 17 games when playing Kansas City
- NY Yankees are 6-2 SU in their last 8 games when playing Kansas City
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