In the American League Wild Card, the away team completed sweeps in both series, and now we are set up for the ALDS, beginning on Saturday. Since Major League Baseball went to a 12-team playoff in 2022, the A.L. has seen the road team advance to the ALDS in four of the six series, and all four by sweeps.
In Baltimore, the Orioles ran their postseason losing streak to 10 games, including six of those losses to the Kansas City Royals, dating back to the ALCS in 2014. The Royals won their ninth playoff series in their last 10, dating back to 1985, and they will now play the New York Yankees.
The Detroit Tigers previous playoff year was 2014, when they last made it to the ALDS before losing to the Orioles that season. Their sweep of the Houston Astros has them matched up this weekend with the Cleveland Guardians. For Houston, it ended their streak of appearing in the ALCS for seven straight years.
Detroit Tigers at Cleveland Guardians
Ohio doesn’t like Michigan, and Michigan doesn’t like Ohio. And while the rivalry between these two American League Central teams isn’t quite as intense as college football’s Michigan and Ohio State, it does make for a fun ALDS. In their 13 matchups this season, the Guardians had the edge, 7-6. They were also the team to edge their way to the division title, winning 92 games to the Tigers’ 86.
Neither team was supposed to be here six months ago. When the season began, the Tigers were paying +2800 to win the American League pennant, and the Guardians were at +2600. Now, as two of the four teams left standing in the A.L. the Guardians are +300, and the Tigers are paying +350.
In this series, the Guardians are the betting favorite to advance to the American League Championship Series, paying -120. The Tigers are the sixth seed and paying +102.
Game 1 is Saturday in Cleveland and the Guardians are paying -148 on the moneyline. Detroit is paying +124 in Game 1.
Game 2 is in Cleveland on Monday. Game 3 is Wednesday in Detroit, and if necessary, Game 4 is Thursday, also in Detroit, and Game 5 would be back in Cleveland on Saturday, October 12.
Kansas City Royals at New York Yankees
The last time the Kansas City Royals and New York Yankees met in the postseason was 44 years ago. George Brett hit a home run off Goose Gossage into the third deck at the old Yankee Stadium, sending Kansas City to its first World Series.
Since that series sweep in the ALCS in 1980, the Royals have won the World Series twice, in 1985 and 2015. George Brett has been replaced by Bobby Witt Jr., and the Royals are trying to become the only team in MLB history to go from 100 losses to the World Series in one season.
The Royals are the surprise team of 2024, while the Yankees have been the royalty of baseball for 100 years. They won three World Series titles in the 1990s, two more in the 2000s (bringing their total to 27), and they have been the favorite to win the American League since this season began. Their best player, Aaron Judge, is the likely reason that Witt won’t win the American League MVP.
The Yankees are +130 to win the American League pennant, and they are -230 to win this series. The Royals are +190 to get past the Yankees, and +330 to win the American League.
Game 1 is Saturday at Yankee Stadium, with New York paying -198 on the moneyline. Kansas City is +164 to win Game 1.
Game 2 between the Royals and Yankees is on Monday in New York, Game 3 is in Kansas City on Wednesday, and if necessary, Game 4 is in K.C. on Thursday and Game 5 is back at Yankee Stadium on Saturday, October 12.
With over 25 years of experience as a distinguished sports writer for renowned platforms such as Fox Sports and ESPN, Kyle Garlett is a sports betting specialist who has been at the forefront of documenting the global surge in sports betting and online gaming. Based in Denver, Colorado, Kyle hosts an NFL betting YouTube show and podcast. Kyle also has two sports books published by HarperCollins.
Kyle graduated the Azusa Pacific University in 1996 with a B.A. Degree in Communication and Journalism.