The Kansas City Royals entered their current series with the San Diego Padres three games out of first place in the American League Central and will look to narrow the gap at home on Saturday.
San Diego Padres (-122, 8.5) vs. Kansas City Royals
Joe Musgrove’s gets the start on the mound for San Diego, who has a 5.66 ERA and 5.31 fielding independent with 1.8 home runs per nine innings and a strikeout to walk ratio below 3.00 for the first time in his career.
Musgrove has to face a Royals lineup that entered the series leading the American League in runs per game at home with over 5.5 runs per game while Musgrove’s ERA jumps to 6.94 on the road.
Royals starting pitcher Alec Marshall will look to maximize that run support as he enters Saturday with a 3.24 ERA and 3.60 fielding independent with one or zero earned runs allowed in four of his last six starts.
While the Padres have an advantage in the bullpen, ranking seventh in the league in bullpen ERA entering the series while the Royals entered 18th, Marsh had also been at his best at home with a 2.61 ERA in Kansas City this season without a home run allowed across his four home starts.
The Royals are 7-2 when Marsh starts this year and with the run support they’ve been supplying their starting pitchers at home this season, the team will pick up another win with Marsh on the mound.
The Play: Royals +102
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