The New York Yankees and Kansas City Royals are all set to clash in the 2024 American League Division Series (ALDS). These teams fought throughout the season for this and we think it’s going to be a really good series.
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The Yankees, with home-field advantage and a deep roster, are favorites to take the series. But the Royals, fresh off an impressive wild-card round win over the Baltimore Orioles, are no strangers to postseason upsets.
Want to catch the games? We thought so. Here are all of the times and stations where you can watch the Yankees vs Royals ALDS series.
Game 1: Royals at Yankees, Saturday, Oct. 5, 6:38 p.m. ET (TBS/Max)
Game 2: Royals at Yankees, Monday, Oct. 7, 7:38 p.m. ET (TBS/truTV/Max)
Game 3: Yankees at Royals, Wednesday, Oct. 9, Time TBD (TBS/truTV/Max)
Game 4: Yankees at Royals, Thursday, Oct. 10, Time TBD (TBS/truTV/Max) — if necessary
Game 5: Royals at Yankees, Saturday, Oct. 12, Time TBD (TBS/Max) — if necessary
The odds for this series are exactly how we figured they would be. We don’t anticipate them moving too much between now and the first pitch.
Yankees: -200
Royals: +170
Series Analysis
Before you start betting on the Yankees to take the series or for Witt Jr. to go yard, we wanted to give you a full rundown of how these teams currently stand.
The Yankees head into this series with momentum and some serious star power.
Aaron Judge and Juan Soto anchor the lineup, two of the most feared sluggers in the league. They’re a back-to-back duo that everyone hates pitching against.
The Yankees also have a solid supporting cast, including Gleyber Torres, who has been hot since taking over the leadoff spot in the lineup, and Giancarlo Stanton, who has historically performed well in the postseason.
Pitching-wise, the Yankees have an advantage.
Having come off of a first-round bye, they get to line up their rotation perfectly, starting with ace Gerrit Cole, followed by Carlos Rodón.
Cole, despite some struggles earlier in the season, finished strong with a 2.25 ERA over his last 10 starts. Rodón has also been effective, especially against Kansas City, allowing only two runs in 13 innings across two starts this season.
The Yankees' depth goes beyond their top two starters — Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt are also solid options should the series go to Games 3 and 4.
Despite some holes in their lineup, particularly at first base with Anthony Rizzo sidelined and a less settled left-field situation, the Yankees’ lineup has enough power and balance to overwhelm most teams — including the Royals.
Playing at Yankee Stadium only boosts their offensive potential, as the stadium's short porches are tailor-made for sluggers like Judge and Stanton.
The Royals might not have the same star power as the Yankees, but they have something that can’t be overlooked — postseason magic.
Kansas City has a remarkable record in playoff games dating back to their championship runs in 1985 and 2015. The team just seems to find a way to win when October rolls around, and they’re hoping to keep that trend going against New York. Sure, it’s a new team, but they just have that grit.
Bobby Witt Jr. is the Royals' superstar and the key to their offense. The AL batting champion can take over a game with both his bat and his speed, making him a game-changer on any given night.
Witt will be supported by a Royals offense that finished 13th in runs scored this season, a pretty decent ranking that shows they can produce offensively when it matters.
The Royals also have intriguing options in their rotation.
Cole Ragans has been nothing less than phenomenal. He’s already shown he can surge under pressure with a dominant six-inning, scoreless outing against Baltimore in the wild-card round. He’ll likely start Game 2 against Rodón, with the potential to return for Game 5 if push comes to shove.
Seth Lugo has been reliable, although he's well beyond his previous innings limit, which could make him more vulnerable in longer outings.
However, one of the biggest concerns for Kansas City is pitching depth.
After Ragans and Lugo, the Royals don’t have the same level of talent in their rotation or bullpen as the Yankees. And although the Royals' bullpen is a great story, with Lucas Erceg in the closer role, the Yankees’ relievers, led by Luke Weaver, have statistically been much stronger, with a park-adjusted ERA projection of 3.20 compared to the Royals' 4.10.
There will be plenty of storylines in the Yankees vs Royals ALDS matchup, but these are a few that we think will stand out over the 5 game series.
Gerrit Cole vs. Royals hitters in Game 1. Cole is the Yankees' ace and needs to set the tone for the series. The Royals will need to find a way to manufacture runs against one of the best pitchers in the game. Bobby Witt Jr. will be the key for Kansas City here.
Aaron Judge and Juan Soto vs. Royals pitching. This Yankees duo has the potential to put the series out of reach if they get hot early — and they tend to do that. The Royals will need Ragans and Lugo to be at their best to contain these two and keep their hopes alive.
Bobby Witt Jr. vs. Yankees defense. Witt’s speed and ability to get on base could be the Royals' X-factor. The Yankees' defense, particularly without Rizzo, may be tested if Witt gets on base frequently, which he typically does. One man can’t win it all, but can easily make a big impact.
The Yankees have more star power, deeper pitching, and a home-field advantage throughout the series.
Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón form a potent 1-2 punch that will be hard for the Royals to overcome.
Aaron Judge and Juan Soto are game-changers who can make pitchers pay for any mistakes, and the Yankees bullpen, despite being inconsistent at times this season, has the potential to shut down the Royals' offense in late-game situations.
If the series comes down to a decisive Game 5 in Yankee Stadium, it’s hard to bet against New York, where the electric crowd tends to give the home team a big edge.
Kansas City has a knack for postseason heroics.
With a 9-1 series record over their last 10 playoff matchups, they thrive in these high-stakes situations.
Bobby Witt Jr. is the kind of player who can win games on his own, and if Cole Ragans continues to dominate, the Royals might have just enough pitching to keep the Yankees' powerful lineup in check.
Baseball is unpredictable, especially in a five-game series, where a couple of strong pitching performances and a bit of speed on the bases can tilt the outcome.
While the Royals are a scrappy, talented team that has postseason experience on their side, the Yankees' depth, star power, and home-field advantage give them a clear edge. That simply cannot be overlooked.
Kansas City could steal a game behind a strong performance from Ragans or Lugo, but ultimately, New York’s firepower and dominant bullpen will prove to be a bit too much for the Royals to handle.
Expect the Yankees to win the series in four games, moving on to face either the Cleveland Guardians or Detroit Tigers in the ALCS. We’ll give you the full rundown of that series as well if you want to place some bets on the AL Central matchup for the ages.
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