Tom Oldfield
• Betting Analyst
22+ years betting experience
Updated:
Apr 17, 2026 , 04:28 PM ET
• 4 min read
The Yankees will be glad to see a familiar matchup in the Kansas City Royals, a team they’ve historically handled well and that doesn’t look likely to change tonight.
Photo By – Reuters Connect. New York Yankees starting pitcher Cam Schlittler (31) throws a pitch.
The New York Yankees aren’t looking much like a World Series contender this month, but they’ll have a chance to get back on track tonight at home to the Kansas City Royals.
Though New York spiraled to a heavy loss yesterday with Max Fried on the mound, my Royals vs. Yankees predictions buy into the hosts’ current No. 2 ace and signal a bounce-back effort here.
Get the lowdown on this April 17 matchup with my free MLB picks.
Who will win Royals vs Yankees tonight: Yankees moneyline (-173)
With eight straight wins over the Kansas City Royals, it’s fair to say the New York Yankees have their number. So I’m brushing aside the Bronx Bombers’ 3-7 mark across their past 10 contests, partly because Kansas City has the exact same record in that span.
As well as Michael Wacha has pitched this year, including a 0.43 ERA, the New York lineup has plenty of prior at-bats to lean on against the veteran righty.
In contrast, none of the Royals’ hitters have faced Cam Schlittler before, and the Yankees phenom has racked up 7+ strikeouts in each of his four outings this season.
COVERS INTEL: The underwhelming Kansas City offense has scored two runs or fewer in seven of its last 10 games and ranks in the bottom five in runs, hits, SLG and OPS.
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Royals vs Yankees Over/Under pick: Under 8 (-115)
With both of tonight’s starters in a nice rhythm, I’m sticking with the trends that point to the Under, which is 7-2 in the last nine meetings between these teams – and 4-0 in the past four matchups at Yankee Stadium.
The Royals are giving their pitchers minimal run support. They’re averaging just 3.42 RPG, and all three of Wacha’s outings this season have fallen short of this 8.0 O/U mark.
Meanwhile, for all the unquestionable offensive firepower that Aaron Judge and Co. bring to the party, the hosts have only posted a .214 batting average, the fourth-lowest in the majors.
[WRITER NAME]’s 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets:Â 0-3, -3 units
Over/Under bets: 2-1, +0.8 units
Royals vs Yankees odds
Moneyline: Kansas City +152 | New York -180
Run line: Kansas City +1.5 (-146) | New York -1.5 (+122)
Over/Under: Over 8 (-102) | Under 8 (-120)
Royals vs Yankees trend
The Under is 7-3 in the Royals’ last 10 games. Find more MLB betting trends for Royals vs. Yankees.
How to watch Royals vs Yankees and game info
Location
Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Date
Friday, April 17, 2026
First pitch
7:05 p.m. ET
TV
Royals.TV, YES
Royals starting pitcher
Michael Wacha
(2-0, 0.43 ERA)
Yankees starting pitcher
Cam Schlittler
(2-1, 2.49 ERA)
Royals vs Yankees latest injuries
Royals vs Yankees weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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Tom Oldfield’s sports writing journey over the past 20 years has taken him from the Premier League and Champions League to the NFL, NBA, WNBA and MLB, with a wide range of articles and betting previews. Tom has worked closely with London’s Sportsbeat sports news agency as well as (thrillingly!) covering the Toronto Raptors’ 2019 NBA championship run, and he has appeared on BBC World Service and The Back Page podcast.
A graduate of the University of Nottingham in the UK, he is the author of biographies on Cristiano Ronaldo, Rafael Nadal, Gary Neville and Cesc Fabregas, and he co-authors a long-running series of children’s soccer books with his brother, Matt.
As a regular bettor across the top sports leagues, particularly with FanDuel and bet365, he is well versed on all the major markets and the next big game is rarely far from his thoughts. The best betting advice he has received is to monitor multiple sportsbooks to grab the best possible value.
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