- Matchup: Kansas City Royals vs Atlanta Braves
- Date: Friday, March 27, 2026
- Venue: Truist Park, Cumberland, GA
- Broadcast: Braves.TV
- Betting Odds: Kansas City Royals (-145) Atlanta Braves (+125)
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The Atlanta Braves, who recorded a 76-86 season last year, will host the Kansas City Royals at Truist Park this Friday. Kansas City enters the game favored at -145, while Atlanta sits at +125. The total runs expected for this matchup is set at 9, with Cole Ragans and Chris Sale anticipated as the starting pitchers.
Last season, the Kansas City Royals averaged 4.0 runs per game, placing them 26th in the league. They scored a total of 651 runs while posting an on-base percentage of .309. The team hit 292 doubles and belted 159 home runs. With 638 RBIs and 1,342 hits, the Royals finished with a team batting average of .247. Moreover, they recorded a slugging percentage of .397, striking out 1,096 times, while drawing 435 walks.
On the pitching front, the Royals ended last season with a 3.73 team ERA, ranking 6th in the league, while fanning 1,271 batters. Their pitchers allowed 171 home runs and 637 runs in total, placing them 4th in the MLB for the season. Kansas City’s pitching staff issued 478 walks and recorded a FIP of 4.01. They conceded 1,308 hits with an average of 8.2 per nine innings, leading to 595 earned runs, while maintaining a K/BB ratio of 2.66 and a WHIP of 1.24.
Throughout last season, the Royals fielded 547 relievers. These relief pitchers inherited 220 runners, with 27.3% crossing the plate. The Royals secured 47 saves out of 67 opportunities, resulting in a save percentage of 70.1%. Their bullpen made 158 appearances in save situations and achieved 89 holds, placing 15th in MLB. Relievers faced runners on base 161 times, participating in 174 high-leverage situations.
In the previous season, the Houston Astros registered a total of 4,310 putouts, accompanied by 1,437 assists and 62 errors, yielding a fielding percentage of .988; ranking 8th in the league. The Royals converted 70.8% of balls hit into play into outs across 12,930 innings, placing them 7th in MLB.
Ragans has pitched 383 innings in his MLB career, accumulating 461 strikeouts. He owns a 3.66 earned run average, allowing 156 earned runs and maintaining a WHIP of 1.190. Throughout his career, Ragans has given up 312 hits, averaging 7.3 hits per nine innings, while issuing 144 walks. His career record stands at 21-20, and he has faced 1,585 batters in the majors.
The Atlanta Braves exhibited a slugging percentage of .399, averaging 4.47 runs per game (13th in the league). They recorded 243 doubles, drew 575 walks, and totaled 724 runs last season. The team logged 190 home runs and 701 RBIs, striking out 1,371 times (14th in MLB) and accumulating 1,349 hits. Atlanta achieved a team on-base percentage of .320 and a batting average of .245 during the previous season.
The Braves’ pitching staff held a WHIP of 1.306 and a FIP of 4.20 last season, with a K/BB ratio of 8.90 (1,416 strikeouts versus 530 walks). They surrendered 1,348 hits, placing them at 20th in the league overall, while allowing 197 home runs and 4.59 runs per nine innings. Atlanta’s pitchers allowed 734 runs last season, resulting in a team ERA of 4.36 (696 earned runs allowed).
Atlanta’s relievers showed an inherited runners scoring rate of 38.6% for 215 runners. They appeared in 168 high-leverage situations and entered 158 times with runners on base. In 128 save situations, the Braves secured 73 holds and faced 21 blown saves, finishing 20th in MLB with a save rate of 61.8%. They utilized 520 relievers over the course of last season, achieving 34 saves from 55 save opportunities.
Defensively, the Braves turned 109 double plays and achieved a fielding percentage of .991, ranking 2nd in MLB. They accounted for 1,367 assists and 54 errors, totaling 4,314 putouts in the previous season. With 12,942 innings played, their defensive efficiency stood at 69.8%, placing them 18th among professional teams.
Chris Sale boasts a career record of 145-88, an earned run average of 3.01, and has allowed 7.3 hits per nine innings over his tenure. With a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 5.30, he has faced 8,389 opposing batters. Sale has permitted 697 earned runs, maintaining a WHIP of 1.046 and a FIP of 3.0. Throughout his career, he has allowed 1,692 hits while striking out 2,579 batters across 2,083 innings.
Who emerges as the victor in tonight’s MLB clash against the spread or on the moneyline?
Prediction: Go with Atlanta (+125) and the under on 9 runs
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