Preview, predictions and expert picks for New York Mets vs. Kansas City Royals on Wednesday August 2, 2023.
| Date & Time | Wednesday, August 2, 8:10 P.M. Eastern |
| Moneyline | New York Mets (-188) vs. Kansas City Royals (+158) |
| Runline | Mets -1.5 (-115)/Royals +1.5 (-104) |
| Total | Over 9.5 (-102)/Under 9.5 (-120) |
| Where | Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, MO |
| Weather | 93 degrees, cloudy, 20% chance of rain |
Eight years ago, the matchup between the New York Mets and Kansas City Royals served as the 2015 World Series.
Let’s just say that won’t be the case in 2023. Both teams are firmly entrenched in “wait til next year” mode after Tuesday’s trade deadline. Let’s see if we can find some value in Tuesday’s game.
New York Mets Preview
It’s anyone’s guess what the Mets’ lineup will look like by the time this game starts Wednesday night.
Starting pitcher Max Scherzer, closer David Robertson, and LF Mark Canha have already been traded, and more big names like SP Justin Verlander and even 1B Pete Alonso are candidates for deals before Tuesday’s deadline.
It’s no wonder, as sports’ highest payroll fell flat on its face this season. A 50-55 record has the Mets attempting to clear contracts and build for the future at this point as the Atlanta Braves run away with the National League East.
It could be argued that Wednesday’s starter, Kodai Senga, has been the lone bright spot for NY in 2023. The 30-year-old rookie arrived on a five-year deal from Nippon Professional Baseball in Japan and wowed scouts with his array of pitches.
Senga has 130 strikeouts over 105 innings, limits long balls and possesses a 3.17 ERA. The right hander’s ability to go deep in games will be key for a struggling Mets bullpen that could be further depleted by – you guessed it – more trades before the deadline.
Kansas City Royals Preview
The only true mystery left in the Royals’ 2023 campaign is whether they can squeeze past the Oakland Athletics and avoid the indignity of MLB’s worst record.
At 32-75, the main focus for Kansas City these next two months will be “auditioning” players for the 2024 roster. A few bright spots populate the lineup, like SS Bobby Witt Jr. who leads Kansas City in just about every statistical category.
The offense is struggling, but a bigger concern may be the pitching staff. 25-year-old Alec Marsh gets his sixth start Wednesday, and there’s only one direction to go. Marsh is 0-5 with a 7.04 ERA. However, he’s shown the ability to pile up strikeouts as he did on July 15 against Tampa Bay (11 Ks in six innings.)
Want some encouragement for Kansas City? Marsh’s debut came against the Dodgers, and the 11-strikeout outing was against Tampa Bay. Both offenses are significantly better than the Mets.
FanDuel Sports SPECIAL OFFER
New York Mets vs. Kansas City Royals Prediction
It would be a little crazy to lay a number like -225 with the Mets regardless, and the uncertainty about their trade plans and the effect on the lineup rules out that play.
At the same time, I’m in no hurry to back the struggling Marsh and Kansas City against Senga.
So let’s go with the Kansas City team total for the first five innings. Senga’s gone at least five innings in seven of his last eight starts, allowing more than two earned runs just once. And those starts weren’t against baseball’s 28th-ranked offense, which he faces Wednesday.
New York Mets vs. Kansas City Royals Pick for August 2, 2023
