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Getting swept at home to begin the MLB season is never ideal and the Kansas City Royals will turn to their leader in wins last season, Brady Singer, to stop the slide at home against the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday.
Toronto Blue Jays (-140, 8.5) vs. Kansas City Royals
The Royals posted a 12-4 record from July through September in Singer’s final 16 starts of the season with Singer posting a 2.63 ERA and 2.3 walks per nine innings, with the reduction in walks being a key to Singer’s success.
Between the 2020 and 2021 seasons, Singer was issuing 3.6 walks per nine innings with a 9-15 record and 4.62 ERA, at one point was sent to the minor leagues to work on mechanics and control.
The Blue Jays counter with Jose Berrios, whose 12-7 record last season was solid, but did not tell the true story of his 2022 struggles.
The 7.8 strikeouts per nine innings and 5.23 ERA Berrios posted last season were his worst marks since his rookie season in 2016 and, as has been the story of Berrios’ career, he had pretty drastic home and road splits.
At home, Berrios posted a 4.24 ERA with 1.1 home runs per nine innings compared to a 6.36 ERA and two home runs per nine innings allowed last season and for his career has a 4.87 ERA with 1.55 home runs per nine innings allowed versus a 3.63 ERA with 0.88 home runs per nine innings allowed in home games.
After getting shut out the first two games of the season, the Royals’ offense showed some life on Sunday with four runs against the Minnesota Twins and with Aroldis Chapman coming over from the New York Yankees in the offseason to bolster the bullpen, Toronto will be singing the blues on Monday as the Royals get their first win of the season.
The Play: Royals +120