The Colorado Rockies (30-57) welcome the Kansas City Royals (48-41) to Coors Field Friday to open a 3-game series. First pitch is set for 8:10 p.m. ET. Let’s analyze FanDuel Sportsbook’s lines around the Royals vs. Rockies odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets.
Season series: First meeting; Rockies won 2-1 last year
The Rockies, who are 18-26 at Coors Field this season, beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 Thursday as +118 home underdogs. They split the 4-Game series with Milwaukee, winning the first and last battle. Colorado has won 3 of its last 5 yet is just 3-7 over its last 10 Games. It is 42-45 against the spread (ATS) on the season.
The Royals lost to the Tampa Bay Rays 10-8 Thursday, closing as -103 underdogs. They lost 2 of 3 in the series yet are 5-3 over their last 8. Kansas City is 49-40 ATS on the season. It has covered in each win and failed to cover in each loss over its last 8 games. The Royals are 17-23 on the road.
Royals at Rockies projected starters
LHP Cole Ragans vs. LHP Kyle Freeland
Ragans (5-6, 3.33 ERA) makes his 19th start. He has a 1.17 WHIP, 3.0 BB/9 and 11.0 K/9 in 102 2/3 innings.
- Last start: Loss, 4 2/3 IP, 5 ER, 6 H, 1 BB, 6 K in 7-2 home defeat to Cleveland Guardians Saturday
- 2024 away splits: 1-3, 3.12 ERA (43 1/3 IP, 15 ER), 1.13 WHIP, 3 HR, 9.3 K/9 in 7 starts
- Career vs. Rockies: 0-0, 0.00 ERA (2 IP), 1 H, 0 BB, 1 K in 1 relief appearance of 11-5 home win May 20, 2023
Freeland (0-3, 7.94 ERA) makes his 7th start. He has a 1.80 WHIP, 3.5 BB/9 and 5.1 K/9 in 28 1/3 innings.
- Last start: No-decision, 6 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 7 H, 2 BB, 3 K in 5-4 extra innings road win over Chicago White Sox Sunday
- 2024 home splits: 0-0, 1.64 ERA (11 IP, 2 ER), 0.91 WHIP, 0 HR, 4.9 K/9 in 2 starts
- Career vs. Royals: 0-2, 6.17 ERA (11 2/3 IP, 8 ER), 16 H, 2 BB, 1 K in 2 starts, including 0-1 with 2.57 ERA (7 IP, 2 ER) in 1 start last year
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Royals at Rockies odds
Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated at 12:36 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Royals -180 (bet $180 to win $100) | Rockies +152 (bet $100 to win $152)
- Run line (RL)/Against the spread: Royals -1.5 (-118) | Rockies +1.5 (+100)
- Over/Under (O/U): 10.5 (O: -104 | U: -118)
Royals at Rockies picks and predictions
Prediction
Royals 5, Rockies 4
Moneyline
PASS.
The Royals (-180) are too expensive to take here, especially on the road and with how well the Rockies have been playing lately. For Colorado, it is better played on the run line.
Run line/Against the spread
BET ROCKIES +1.5 (+100).
The Rockies beat the Brewers in 2 of 4 and covered in 1 of their 2 losses as well. They have closed as underdogs in 5 straight games and gone 3-2 straight up over that span.
Colorado, in Freeland’s last start, beat the White Sox 5-4 as well, and he has pitched much better at home. It is 22-20 ATS at home, a record that sits in the top third of the majors. The Royals sit in the bottom half of the majors at 21-19 ATS on the road.
Considering Colorado’s recently strong play and Freeland’s success at home, take ROCKIES +1.5 (+100).
Over/Under
BET UNDER 10.5 (-118).
The Rockies have gone Under in 3 straight games, scoring 4 or fewer runs in 6 of their last 8. Colorado is 3-6-1 O/U in its last 10 games and 1-2 O/U in Freeland’s last 3 starts.
The Royals have gone Under in 3 of their last 4 games and are 38-49-2 O/U on the season. They have been strong defensively, having allowed 2 or fewer runs in 6 of their last 11 games.
Put it all together, and back UNDER 10.5 (-118).
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