Kansas City Royals vs. Atlanta Braves prediction, pick for MLB Opening Day

After an atypically long winter, baseball has finally returned to The Battery. 

The Atlanta Braves, coming off their first missed postseason since 2017, begin their push back to October Friday night when they host the Kansas City Royals for Opening Day at Truist Park.

The perennial NL East powerhouse has a new manager in former bench coach Walt Weiss, eager to recapture the magic of a once-budding dynasty after Brian Snitker’s retirement. Meanwhile, the Royals finished in third in the AL Central last season, missing the playoffs for the ninth time in the decade since winning the 2015 World Series. 

Here’s a look at Friday’s lineup cards:

Kansas City Royals

1. Maikel Garcia, 3B
2. Bobby Witt Jr., SS
3. Lane Thomas, CF
4. Salvador Perez, C
5. Vinnie Pasquantino, 1B
6. Starling Marte, RF
7. Jonathan India, 2B
8. Isaac Collins, LF
9. Carter Jensen, DH

LHP Cole Ragans

Atlanta Braves

1. Ronald Acuña Jr., RF
2. Drake Baldwin, DH
3. Ozzie Albies, 2B
4. Matt Olson, 1B
5. Austin Riley, 3B
6. Eli White, LF
7. Mauricio Dubon, SS
8. Jonah Heim, C
9. Michael Harris II, CF

LHP Chris Sale

First pitch is set for 7:15 p.m. ET. Atlanta enters as a 1.5-run home favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook, while Kansas City sits as a +123 underdog. The game total is set at O/U 7.5 runs.

Royals vs. Braves Preview

Pitching Matchup

Kansas City inked burgeoning ace Cole Ragans to a three-year contract extension, following a dazzling campaign in 2024. But the crafty left-hander struggled to stay healthy in 2025, missing significant time due to a pair of stints on the injured list. While his 4.67 ERA in 13 starts didn’t evoke shades of Cy Young, the raw stuff was there; he ranked in MLB’s 95th percentile or higher in xERA (2.67), xBA (.187), whiff rate (34.8%), and strikeout rate (38.1%). Still just 28, Ragans remains one of the AL’s most formidable southpaws, especially if he can get back to skirting loud contact as he did in ‘24. 

The Royals will roll out a revamped bullpen this season, featuring several new additions — including former Phillies All-Star Matt Strahm, who returns to the franchise that drafted him. The new faces will join returning southpaw Daniel Lynch IV and rising flamethrower Steven Cruz. 

Perennial Cy Young candidate Chris Sale finally got the nod in 2024. He could’ve gone back-to-back if not for the fractured rib that kept him sidelined for a chunk of the 2025 campaign. Even so, Sale earned his ninth career All-Star nomination with a 2.58 ERA and 11.8 K/9 across 21 outings. Armed with arguably the most dastardly slider in baseball history — he’s ranked in MLB’s 100th percentile for Breaking Run Value in back-to-back seasons — Sale often sends batters back to the dugout without so much as a smudge on their bats. 

Atlanta bolstered its bullpen this offseason by signing two-time All-Star reliever Robert Suarez, who will serve as the setup man for veteran closer Raisel Iglesias. Meanwhile, the Braves added 20-year-old fireballer Didier Fuentes to the Opening Day roster after a scorching spring.

Lineup Breakdown

Kansas City’s lineup is largely the same from last season, when it ranked 22nd leaguewide in wRC+ and 26th in both home runs and runs scored. Despite posting strong strikeout numbers, the Royals generated the fewest walks in the American League. Still, superstar shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. remains a menace in the batter’s box and on the basepaths, and first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino is coming off an electric WBC run with Team Italy. The franchise also added veteran outfielder Starling Marte for bench depth and a platoon bat against lefties. 

Atlanta flashed signs of regression across the board in 2025, its lineup full of All-Stars combining for a middling 101 wRC+. But even in the wake of Marcell Ozuna’s departure, a roster featuring a healthy Ronald Acuña Jr. and an ageless Matt Olson remains a formidable threat. Plus, a lost season for the Braves in 2025 still managed to provide one glaring silver lining: surging catcher Drake Baldwin mashed 19 home runs en route to capturing the NL Rookie of the Year award.

Royals vs. Braves Pick, Best Bet

In a marquee showdown between two of the game’s top southpaws, the scale seemingly tips in favor of the former Cy Young. A healthy Chris Sale is as dangerous as they come, and he should carve up a Royals lineup with plenty of question marks. Count on the Braves’ bats to come alive early, as if making up for lost time from the uncharacteristically long offseason. 

Braves fans haven’t had a reason to cheer in quite some time. Expect that to change Friday night.

Best Bet: Atlanta Braves -1.5 Runs (+153)