Gambling content 21+. The New York Post may receive an affiliate commi sion if you sign up through our links. Read our for more information. Consistent pitching has been the key to the Royals first trip back to the since their World Series title in 2015. Carlos Perez Jersey If you look a bit closer though, there are vulnerabilities that their staffs numbers reveal. Aside from the benefits of pitching inside a home run-subdued ballpark like Kauffman Stadium, which hosted the fourth-fewest home runs in , Kansas City pitchers were not heavy strikeout achievers, ranking 22nd overall. Cole Ragans, who is rolling off his best month with a 1.08 ERA in four starts within a career season, will make his playoff debut in Game 1 of the wild-card round against the Orioles. Momentum aside, Ragans took an overall bump in exit velocity this year. The third-year lefty is tasked with containing a Baltimore lineup that pumped out the fourth-highest barrels-hit-per-plate-appearance rate. Explore More Royals vs. Orioles Game 1 odds Team Moneyline Run line Total Royals +124 +1.5 (-184) o6.5 (-122) Orioles -146 -1.5 (+152) u6.5 (+100) Odds via Corbin Burnes steps to the hill for as the No. 1 he was acquired to be when the Orioles traded for him in the offseason. Per Statcast, Burnes remained within the top five percent of pitchers in hard-hit percentage. With the exception of Bobby Witt Jr., who finished with a second-best overall WAR of 9.2, this isnt a potent Royals lineup in power hitting. The Orioles will look to mash against Kansas Citys lefty star Tuesday. Getty Images Kansas City batted .236 on the road and furthermore, Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez are the only Royals who have hit barrels efficiently, according to Statcast. Burnes will be making his ninth postseason appearance, boasting a 2.84 playoff ERA. Learn all you need to know about MLB Betting Read about the Learn all about With both bullpens at full strength, there isnt much difference between the two; they were nearly identical in both ERA and FIP in 2024. This is primed to be a premiere pitching showcase between Burnes and the emergent Ragans, but when push comes to shove, the edge comes down to experience and power-hitting depth. THE PLAY: Orioles moneyline (-146, ) Why Trust New York Post Betting Sean Treppedi handicaps 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 mitigate risk. Rafael Ortega Jersey