The Kansas City Royals are set to face off against the San Diego Padres in an intriguing MLB matchup. The Royals will have Brady Singer on the mound, while the Padres will be led by Seth Lugo. Following a 4-0 victory over the Royals, where KC could only muster two hits, the Padres have emerged as a heavy favorite at a -216 price at the FanDuel Sportsbook. The game’s total is set at 8.5, suggesting an expectation of moderate scoring.

The Royals’ bats, unfortunately, have been rather silent lately, and their propensity to strike out at a high clip is a concerning trend. In fact, the Royals’ strikeout rate sits around 26%, which is alarmingly high. This was evident in last night’s game in San Diego, where they struck out 11 times against a pitcher who is not typically known for a high strikeout rate.

Lugo, the Padres’ starter, has been pitching well this season, giving up two runs or less in five of his seven starts. Given Kansas City’s struggles at the plate, there’s a good chance Lugo could rack up a decent number of strikeouts in this game. Consequently, one betting angle to consider is the over on Lugo’s strikeout prop of 5.5 (+102).

Considering San Diego’s home ballpark is not, particularly hitter-friendly, it’s more likely that this game will lean towards the under in terms of total runs scored. However, given the Royals’ high strikeout rate, betting on the strikeout props for Padres’ pitchers could be an enticing option for bettors in this game.