David Smith/Cal Sport Media/Sipa USA

New York Yankees vs Kansas City Royals: American League Division Series – Game 4

The New York Yankees are visiting the Kansas City Royals in Game 4 of the NLDS at Kauffman Stadium on Wednesday.

 

The Yankees have control of the series

The New York Yankees finished the regular season on top of the AL East with a 94-68 record, including 44-37 at home. The Yankees have a 3.78 ERA, a .232 batting average, a .310 on-base percentage, and 1.25 walks plus hits per inning pitched. Aaron Judge is the best player on the team with 180 hits, 122 runs, and league-high 58 home runs.

 

Can the Mets survive?

The Kansas City Royals finished the regular season second in the AL Central with an 86-76 record, including 41-40 on the road. In the Wild Card series, they swept the Baltimore Orioles on the road allowing only one run in two games. Kansas City has a 3.80 ERA, a .240 batting average, a .308 on-base percentage, and 1.25 walks plus hits per inning pitched. Bobby Witt Jr. is the best player on the team with 211 hits, 125 runs, and 32 home runs.

 

Betting Trends

The Royals are 4-2 SU in their last 6 games overall, 0-7 SU in their last 7 home games and 1-4 SU in their last 5 home games against the Yankees. Kansas City has played under the total run line in 7 of their last 8 games overall, in 6 of their last 7 games against teams from the AL and 6 of their last 7 games against teams from the AL East. The Yankees are 13-7 SU in their last 20 games overall, 14-6 SU in their last 20 games against the Royals, and 6-1 SU in theier last 7 games on the road. They have played under the total run line in 4 of their last 5 games against teams from the AL Central and in 8 of their last 10 games played in October.

 

Prediction and Conclusion

Giancarlo Staton hit a go-ahead home run in the eighth inning last night to give the New York Yankees a 3-2 win in Game 3 and a 2-1 lead in the series against the Kansas City Royals. The Yankees have now turned the series around and are one win away from the League Championship series. They will try to do that tonight going with Gerrit Cole, who is 8-5 for the season with a 3.41 ERA, 99 K, 95 IP, and 1.13 WHIP. The Royals will go with Michael Wacha, who is 13-8 for the season with a 3.35 ERA, 145 K, 166.2 IP, and 1.22 WHIP. The Royals have lost the last seven home games, and it is pretty unlikely for them to cut that run in such a big game. Therefore, we go with the Yankees to get the job done tonight.