MLB Playoff Bracket 2024: Royals vs. Yankees ALDS Odds, Preview
MLB Playoff Bracket 2024: Royals vs. Yankees ALDS Odds, Preview0 of 3
Bleacher Report
The New York Yankees come into their ALDS matchup with the Kansas City Royals as the only American League team still alive from outside the AL Central.
The Royals and Detroit Tigers advanced out of the wild-card round. Detroit is matched up with the Cleveland Guardians on the other side of the AL bracket.
All of the pressure in the series is on the Yankees, who had a full week off before Saturday’s Game 1 at Yankee Stadium.
Kansas City carries all the momentum into the series thanks to its tremendous pitching performances against the Baltimore Orioles.
The Royals need the pitching to be at the same level for the duration of the ALDS if they want to shut down Aaron Judge, Juan Soto and Co.
Series Odds1 of 3
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Series Odds
New York Yankees (-200; bet $200 to win $100)
Kansas City (+160; bet $100 to win $160)
Kansas City Will Try to Ride Hot Pitching2 of 3
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Kansas City’s pitchers thrived over two games at Camden Yards.
Cole Ragans and Seth Lugo turned in quality starts and the bullpen shut down an Orioles lineup that began to fizzle out in the second half of the regular season.
Baltimore was an ideal matchup for the Royals pitchers because the Orioles hitters were slumping and susceptible to strikeouts.
That will not be the case against the top third of the Yankees order. Judge and Soto are one of the toughest one-two combinations to slow down among the teams still alive in the postseason.
Kansas City will try to combat the New York sluggers with a group of hurlers that allowed a single run against the Orioles.
Ragans could come back on short rest to pitch on Saturday, or he can pitch on extra rest for Monday’s Game 2. Seth Lugo is a Game 2 or 3 option, while Michael Wacha could start Game 1 if Ragans is not ready.
The Royals bullpen was equally as impressive as the starters in Baltimore. Lucas Erceg and Co. held the Orioles to one hit in 4.2 innings of work on Wednesday.
Of course, Bobby Witt Jr. and others will have to come up with timely hits to win games, but dominant pitching will be Kansas City’s X-factor to move on to the ALCS.
All Pressure on Yankees to Win Series3 of 3
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The Yankees have a mountain of pressure on their shoulders to win the ALDS.
New York carries a ton of expectations into the postseason after earning the top seed in the American League ahead of Cleveland.
All the big names are ready to shine in the postseason. Gerrit Cole is on the bump for Game 1 and Carlos Rodon will follow in Game 2.
Judge and Soto each had fantastic regular seasons and will be counted on to thrive in the postseason as well.
It’s hard for the Yankees not to have a World Series-or-bust mentality, but they have to take each series one at a time because of how dangerous the wild-card teams have been in the previous two postseasons.
The Yankees are looking to make their fourth ALCS since 2017, and if they reach that point, they will not have to run into the Houston Astros like the previous three ALCS appearances.
New York will be viewed as the favorite to emerge out of the AL and into the World Series, and if the team deals with that pressure properly, it could have a fruitful next few weeks.
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