Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series featuring the Royals and Orioles featured elite pitching and limited offense. We should see a bit more offense in Game 2 as the Royals look to advance to the Division Series while the Orioles try to stay alive.
For my Royals vs Orioles player props for Game 2 on Wednesday, Oct. 2, I'm targeting two Royals (Bobby Witt Jr. and Michael Massey) and one Oriole (Cedric Mullins). Find out why below.
Royals vs Orioles Player Props — Game 2
- Bobby Witt Jr to Steal a Base +425 (+135, bet365)
- Michael Massey Over 1.5 Hits + Runs + RBI (-105, bet365)
- Cedric Mullins Over 0.5 Hits (-135; DraftKings)
Bobby Witt Jr. Player Props: Will MVP Candidate Use His Wheels?
On Tuesday, I went with one long-shot pick: Alex Bregman to homer. Now, I'll pivot in a different direction with a stolen base prop with similar odds.
If you bet Witt to steal a base in every game, then it clearly wouldn't be profitable since he stole 32 bases in 160 games. But at +425 odds in a playoff game where Kansas City might look to take a few risks with a win under its belt, I'll gladly take a shot.
So why is this a strong bet at long-shot odds? Well, Witt isn't just fast. He's the fastest player in baseball, clocking in with a sprint speed of 30.5 ft/second, according to Statcast.
The Royals also tend to be aggressive on the bases, which won them Game 1 with Maikel Garcia snagging a base in the sixth inning, leading to Witt driving him in for the game's only run.
Michael Massey Player Props: Back the Royals' Leadoff Man
Michael Massey is the Royals' lead-off batter, hitting ahead of Witt Jr. That presents plenty of chances for Massey to make this prop a winner.
The Royals' leadoff hitter finished the year strong, hitting .375 with an OPS over 1.000 in the final seven regular-season games. He also recorded four RBI's (three came on a homer) and scored a pair of runs. He also has the benefit of hitting in front of Witt and Vinnie Pasquantino, so there are multiple avenues to hitting this props.
Another thing I'm looking at is Massey's even splits against southpaws and right-handed pitching. He posted a .743 OPS versus righties and .740 versus lefties this year, so if the Orioles decide to go with the "matchup advantage" against Massey, it's quite negligible.
Cedric Mullins Player Props: Don't Sleep On Overlooked Oriole
Although his numbers don't jump off the page, Cedric Mullins has been one of the Orioles' best hitters since August. He batted .250 and posted a 125 wRC+ with seven homers in the season's final two months. That's second on Baltimore's roster among, only behind Gunnar Henderson.
Mullins' success carried into Game 1, when he recorded two of the Orioles' five hits. Counting the postseason game, Mullins has secured a hit in nine of his last 10 games.
The prices on other Orioles to record a hit are quite juiced: -165 for Ramon Urias, -190 for Adley Rutschman and -245 Ryan Mountcastle.
Mullins hasn't faced Seth Lugo much in his career, but he is 2-for-3 against the Royals' Game 2 starter.
