The Kansas City Royals and Miami Marlins will play in the second game of their three-game series on Saturday afternoon. Miami won the series opener in a 10-inning thriller on Friday night. Kansas City will look for revenge as the favorites in this contest. Here, I break down this matchup and give you my Royals vs Marlins prediction for Saturday in South Florida.
Our Royals vs Marlins Pick
- Pick: Kansas City Royals moneyline.
- Confidence: ★★★★☆
- Bonus Bets For This Game: Use bet365 promo code ATSBONUS to bet $5 and get $150 in bonus bets, win or lose, for this MLB matchup!
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Kansas City Royals vs Miami Marlins
- Date & Time: Saturday, July 19, 2025, 4 :10 PM ET
- Starting Pitchers:
- Royals: Michael Wacha (4–9, 3.74 ERA)
- Marlins: Cal Quantrill (3–8, 5.62 ERA)
- Stadium: loanDepot park, Miami, FL
- Broadcast: MLB Network, FDSFL, FDSKC
Royals vs Marlins Odds
| Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|
| Royals -126 | Over 8.5 (-112) |
| Marlins +104 | Under 8.5 (-109) |
Key Storylines
Pitching form
Michael Wacha continues to frustrate opposing lineups despite a 4-9 record. His 3.74 ERA indicates that he can limit damage even if the wins haven’t been there for him in 2025. Miami’s Cal Quantrill has struggled with a 3-8 record and a 5.62 ERA. He is giving up over a hit per inning this season and could struggle against the Kansas City bats today.
Bullpen usage
Both bullpens were worked hard in Friday’s game. The question in this contest will be which one can deliver on a tight turnaround. The Royals have the statistical edge in the bullpens going into this game. But that advantage could be dulled by the demands placed upon both pens here.
Recent team streaks
- The Royals have lost three of their last four games coming into this contest.
- The Marlins have won three games in a row after winning the opening game of this series.
Best Player Props
| Player | Prop |
|---|---|
| Vinnie Pasquantino | Over 0.5 Home Runs |
| Bobby Witt Jr. | Over 1.5 Total Bases |
| Kyle Stowers | Over 0.5 Home Runs |
Betting Trends & H2H
- The Marlins won the lone game of the head-to-head series between these teams this year on Friday night.
- Day/Night splits: The Royals are 19-20 in day games this year. The Marlins are 23-19 during the day in 2025.
Royals vs Marlins Model Projection
Score Projection: Kansas City 4 – Miami 3
Win Probability: Kansas City 55%, Miami 45%
Final Thoughts
The biggest key to this game for me is the starting pitching on both sides. The bullpens for both teams had to dig deep in last night’s 10-inning game. That puts some extra importance on both starters in this contest. That should give the advantage to the Royals here, as Wacha is much more likely to have a solid outing than Quantrill. Expect the Royals to take advantage of their starting pitching edge to win and even this series up at one game apiece.
