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Kansas City Royals @ Oakland Athletics

I’m backing Kansas City because Cole Ragans has 90 strikeouts in 57.1 innings, and that swing-and-miss profile fits this matchup. Oakland’s key bats chase: Brent Rooker has 155 strikeouts, and Colby Thomas has 46 in 115 at-bats, so strike one turns their pop into soft outs. On the other side, Brady Basso’s 1.55 WHIP means steady traffic, which Bobby Witt Jr. can punish with 183 hits. I’ll grant Ragans’ 5.02 ERA is a risk, but his .235 opponent average says the stuff is playing and against this swing-heavy group that edge should hold.