Athletics face the Royals with 1-0 series lead

By AP News Published Sep 27, 2025 01:08 am

Kansas City Royals (80-80, third in the AL Central) vs. Athletics (76-84, fourth in the AL West)

West Sacramento, California; Saturday, 10:05 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Royals: Michael Wacha (9-13, 4.00 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 121 strikeouts); Athletics: Luis Morales (4-2, 3.07 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 38 strikeouts)

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Athletics -121, Royals +101; over/under is 10 runs

BOTTOM LINE: The Athletics host the Kansas City Royals, leading the series 1-0.

The Athletics are 76-84 overall and 36-43 at home. The Athletics rank sixth in MLB play with 218 total home runs, averaging 1.4 per game.

Kansas City has gone 37-42 in road games and 80-80 overall. The Royals are 33-8 in games when they hit at least two home runs.

The teams match up Saturday for the fifth time this season. The Athletics are ahead 4-0 in the season series.

TOP PERFORMERS: Jacob Wilson has a .313 batting average to lead the Athletics, and has 26 doubles and 13 home runs. Shea Langeliers is 14 for 40 with a home run and three RBIs over the last 10 games.

Bobby Witt Jr. leads the Royals with a .295 batting average, and has 46 doubles, six triples, 23 home runs, 49 walks and 85 RBIs. Carter Jensen is 12 for 36 with two home runs and nine RBIs over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Athletics: 6-4, .228 batting average, 3.47 ERA, outscored by five runs

Royals: 5-5, .284 batting average, 4.18 ERA, outscored opponents by 17 runs

INJURIES: Athletics: Sean Newcomb: 15-Day IL (elbow), Zack Gelof: 10-Day IL (shoulder), Ben Bowden: 60-Day IL (lat), Joey Estes: 15-Day IL (back), Jacob Lopez: 15-Day IL (flexor), Jack Perkins: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Austin Wynns: 60-Day IL (abdomen), Denzel Clarke: 10-Day IL (abductor), Grant Holman: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Gunnar Hoglund: 60-Day IL (hip), Jose Leclerc: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Luis Medina: 60-Day IL (elbow)

Royals: Lucas Erceg: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Ryan Bergert: 15-Day IL (elbow), Kyle Isbel: 10-Day IL (hamstring), Seth Lugo: 15-Day IL (back), Bailey Falter: 15-Day IL (biceps), Hunter Harvey: 15-Day IL (abductor), Kris Bubic: 60-Day IL (rotator cuff), Alec Marsh: 60-Day IL (shoulder), James McArthur: 60-Day IL (elbow)

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.

By The Associated Press