Kansas City Royals vs. Los Angeles Angels Predictions, Picks and MLB Preview – April 25, 2016

The defending World Series champions Kansas City Royals are having nice start to their season. They’re just half a game behind the Chicago White Sox for the leadership in the American League Central division. With the Los Angeles Angels rolling into Kauffman Stadium later tonight, will the Royals continue their mastery of the Halos? Or will the Angels slow down Kansas City?

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Los Angeles Angels vs. Kansas City Royals Betting Preview

Where: Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City

When: Monday, April 25, 2016, 10:05 PM ET

Line: Los Angeles Angels vs. Kansas City Royals– view all MLB lines

TV Broadcast: ESPN

Betting on the Los Angeles Angels (8-11)

Garrett Richards could use a hug right now. Richards had a nice outing on April 20, allowing just an earned run on four hits across 6.1 innings of duty, albeit in a 2-1 loss to the White Sox.

With that, Richards dropped to 0-3 in three starts to go with a 3.00 ERA and 1.29 WHIP. Richards is hoping for a stouter run support from the Angels’ hitters as he tries to capture that elusive first win of the season later tonight.

Speaking of the Angels’ offense, Mike Trout is starting to heat up. Trout is on a five-game hit streak, going 9-for-17 with two homers and four RBI’s during that stretch. Trout went 1-for-4 in a 9-4 loss to Seattle on Sunday. That’s good news for Richards, who is getting 4.43 RS/9 thus far this season. Collectively, the Angels are slashing .239/.379/.500 in their careers against Royals starter Ian Kennedy.

Trout, however, is just about the only Angels batting well lately. Besides Trout, no qualified Angel has hit better than .208 over the team’s last seven games.

The over is 5-2 in Richards’ last seven starts overall.

Betting on the Kansas City Royals (12-6)

Kansas City has owned the Angels over the past two seasons. The Royals, who are 10-1 in the last 11 meetings with LA dating back to 2014, look to son the Angels one more time as they send Ian Kennedy to the mound for the opening game of the series.

Kennedy has been nasty so far in his stint with the Royals. The right-hander is 2-1 with a 1.35 ERA in three starts thus far this season. He’s struck out seven batters in each of those starts, which includes his solid performance in a 3-2 loss to Detroit on April 20. In that game, Kennedy yielded two earned runs on six hits while fanning seven across 6.1 innings.  Kennedy has been striking out dudes in bunches so far, as he has 21 K’s as against five walks on the season.

Unlike the Angels, Kansas City’s offense is far from a one-man show. Mike Moustakas, Jarrod Dyson, Salvador Perez, and Eric Hosmer have all been batting above .300 over the Royals’ last six games. Moustakas, in particular, is .375 with two home runs and five RBIs during that span. Dyson and Hosmer, meanwhile, have been terror on the basepaths with two stolen bases in the same stretch.

Lorenzo Cain is 5-for-11 with a homer and three doubles in his career off Richards.

Writer’s Prediction

Kansas City wins, 5-3.

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