It's crazy to think that a year ago, when the Royals were taking on the top-seeded Yankees in their first ALDS trip since 2015, they finished with 106 losses.
I admit I underestimated Kansas City all year.
What makes the Royals dangerous is that, outside of the powerful Bobby Witt Jr., their pitching depth shows up at the right moments, but they are completely unprepared for this quietly adaptable offense. is.
Kansas City's 2-0 victory over the Orioles in the AL Wild Card Series featured a clinic from both teams' starting pitchers followed by typical bullpen management.
The difference was who could jump out first and protect the lead.
The Yankees are an upgrade over the O's in power hitting, but not by a huge margin.
Michael Wacha will start this rotation against the top two contact hitters in the game in Aaron Judge and Juan Soto. His Statcast metrics show he's suited for the job.
Wacha held his batting average to 32.5 on hard-hit pitches (over 95 mph), putting him in the top 8th percentile among pitchers.
The longtime journeyman did not start against the Yankees in his first season as a Royal.
He has pitched a middling 3.38 in 32/3 innings throughout his career at Yankee Stadium.
Gerrit Cole also didn't watch the Royals this year.
He's pitched 52 innings against them, posting a 4-1 record with a 2.77 ERA, but even numbers aside, the reigning American League champion's $324 million contract is worth $324 million in the playoffs. Every year is an hourglass to prove it.
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In 2024, his ball speed decreased slightly overall, but he secured two wins in two starts, including a complete game, and an ERA of 0.57, heading into the playoffs with momentum.
The Yankees' batting lineup is aggressive, but this year they proved that even in tough situations, they can be fooled by hot pitching.
Wacha and Cole are scheduled to joust long enough that this rested Royals bullpen, which posted a 3.76 FIP for fourth place overall, can continue to produce football scores.
play: Yankees vs. Royals Game 1, Under 7.5 (Fanduel, +100).
Why trust New York Post Betting?
Sean Trepedi is handicapped by the NFL, NHL, MLB, and college football for the New York Post. He primarily focuses on picks that reflect market value while tracking trends to reduce risk.
