The Los Angeles Dodgers host the Kansas City Royals on August 12, 2026. First pitch from UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium is scheduled for 10:10 p.m. EDT. The game will be broadcast on SportsNet LA.
The Dodgers are favored by -205 on the moneyline and by -1.5 on the run line. The Royals are +186 on the moneyline and 1.5 on the run line. The total is set at 9 runs.
Find my MLB picks and Royals vs Dodgers prediction below, as well as probable pitchers, weather report, and more.
Royals vs Dodgers Prediction
- Royals vs Dodgers Pick: Over 9 (-105) | Play to -115
My Royals vs Dodgers best bet is on the over. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live MLB odds page.
Royals vs Dodgers Odds
| Royals Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -118 | 9 -112o / -108u | +186 |
| Dodgers Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -102 | 9 -112o / -108u | -205 |
- Royals vs Dodgers moneyline: Royals +186, Dodgers -205
- Royals vs Dodgers over/under: 9 (-112o / -108u)
- Royals vs Dodgers spread: +1.5 (-102), – 1.5 (-118)
Royals vs Dodgers Probable Pitchers
| Daniel Lynch IV (LHP) | Stat | Eric Lauer (LHP) |
|---|---|---|
| 4-3 | W-L | 6-6 |
| 0.8 | fWAR (FanGraphs) | -0.4 |
| 2.45/3.37 | ERA / xERA | 4.89/4.97 |
| 3.08/4.22 | FIP / xFIP | 6.00/5.43 |
| 11.9 | K-BB% | 7.2 |
| 50 | GB% | 31.3 |
| .232 | BABIP | .234 |
| 106 | Stuff+ | 88 |
| 96 | Location+ | 102 |
Royals vs Dodgers MLB Betting Preview
Kansas City Royals Betting Preview
One night after a heartbreaking defeat to the Dodgers, the Royals will look to build that momentum all over again at Dodger Stadium behind a very volatile pitching plan.
Daniel Lynch IV will get the start for Kansas City, marking the second time this season he's been used as an opener. He was deployed five days ago against the Cubs, giving up four runs (three earned) on three hits and two walks over 1 2/3 innings.
He faced 10 batters and didn't pitch particularly well, so one can assume that the Royals will use him for the first time through the order, unless he's taxed before that.
Behind him as the bulk reliever is Mason Black, a pop-up pitching prospect with the Giants a couple of years ago who's yet to find his footing in the big leagues. Unfortunately for Black, he would debut in the big leagues in 2024 after a torrid start to the season, only to get hit around to the tune of a 6.44 ERA. After that, he's never reclaimed that previous form — even back in Triple-A.
Black is a ground-baller who is geared far more towards situational run prevention than strikeouts. He was victimized by a very low 67.2% strand rate this year in Triple-A, but has stranded a whopping 89.5% of runners in 22 2/3 big-league innings this season.
That's helped him to a 3.57 ERA, beating out his horrific 6.86 Expected ERA, and his defense is partially to thank. The Royals rank fourth in Outs Above Average in the infield, high in Defensive Runs Saved, and second in double plays turned. Assuming the ball stays on the ground, Black has a fair chance of wiggling out with limited damage.
Offensively, it's not as if the Royals have made a drastic turnaround in the second half, but they've traded in some batting average for power. Their Isolated Power is up nine points in the second half, and their strikeout rate has declined, helping bump them up a few spots in wRC+ to nearly the median mark.
Los Angeles Dodgers Betting Preview
The Dodgers' offense certainly hasn't been what it was in the first half, ranking just 14th in wRC+ since the All-Star break. They've walked in just 7% of plate appearances — a stat that is so crazy for L.A. that I had to triple-check it was correct –, and they've also struck out in a poor 21.2% of plate appearances.
On contact, they've managed a weak .150 ISO, and they've also benefited from a .303 BABIP that is two points higher than it was in the first half. It's hard to really say they've been unlucky or a bit banged up — all these guys have simply not been hitting.
The pitching staff has hit a snag as well, with the bullpen carrying an ugly 4.87 ERA from the second half into this one and the rotation looking so-so with a 4.13 ERA and 3.98 xFIP.
L.A. will turn to Eric Lauer next, a veteran lefty who'd seemingly figured it out after joining the Dodgers, only to surrender six runs on 11 hits last time out against the Cubs. He's returned to being an excellent control pitcher, limiting the walks significantly across his last five outings, but he continues to surrender homers, giving up two in his last start to bring his total to five in the last five outings and 10 in his last 10.
Lauer is an extreme fly-ball pitcher at 37.8% — 13 points above league average — and that could wind up helping him against KC. The Royals rank sixth in OPS to ground-ballers, but just 19th against fly-ballers, an interesting twist given what we've said about Kansas City's slight power surge.
They were held without a homer on Tuesday but did come up with two against the Dodgers on Monday, so it's not out of the question they could touch up Lauer on Wednesday.
Royals vs Dodgers Pick, Betting Analysis
The Royals have lost three straight, and each of those three games wound up cashing the Over. They've scored nine runs against the Dodgers in two games and now have a very uncertain pitching outlook for Wednesday.
If that doesn't entice you to bet on some runs here, I don't know what will. Lynch surrendered four runs against just 10 batters the last time he opened, and Black's near-90% strand rate is nearly impossible to maintain.
While the Dodgers do prefer fly-ballers these days, it really should not matter with Black's ability to pound the zone — opening the door for a team that's been impatient to do some damage early in counts against hittable strikes.
I do think the Royals' offense is good enough right now to believe in against Lauer, who's struggled lately and has been known to cough up homers. They're facing a fly-baller in a friendly park and have looked much better in the power department.
It's a lot of runs to count on from the Royals, to be honest, but I don't see any other way.
Pick: Over 9 (-105) | Play to -115
