Royals vs. Braves Game 2: Predictions, Picks & Odds, March 28

Royals vs. Braves Starting Pitchers

Michael Wacha will be the Game 2 starter for the Kansas City Royals on Saturday night. The 34-year-old veteran is coming off one of his best seasons in the MLB last year. He made 31 starts for the Royals and posted 172.0 innings with a 3.86 ERA. However, he did not have a particularly good spring training leading up to the 2026 season.

The Atlanta Braves’ rotation is struggling at the start of the season, with Spencer Strider joining the list of pitchers on the IL. Reynaldo Lopez is going to be their starting pitcher on Saturday. The 30-year-old had a career year in 2025, finishing with a 1.99 ERA and 5.1 bWAR after moving into a starting role. Whether he can sustain that level this year remains to be seen.

Royals vs. Braves Betting Odds

Royals vs. Braves Expert Prediction

The batting lineup is the biggest strength of the Kansas City Royals, but they had a disappointing start to the season on Friday. Maikel Garcia, Bobby Witt Jr., Lane Thomas, and Salvador Perez looked good at the top of the order. However, the bottom half of the lineup, including Vinnie Pasquantino, Jac Caglianone, and Jonathan India, did not produce a single base hit.

The Atlanta Braves gave a good showing from an offensive standpoint as well, even though Ronald Acuna Jr. went 0-5 on Opening Day. Austin Riley and Matt Olson got multiple hits in the game. Meanwhile, Ozzie Albies, Drake Baldwin, and Michael Harris II opened their home run tally for the year. The Braves’ lineup should have another solid outing on Saturday.

Score Prediction: Royals 3, Braves 8.

Note: Odds are subject to change, and outcomes are never guaranteed.