You know the Royals must be playing a really bad opponent with a terrible starting pitcher to be installed as road favorites in this range.

Well, they are: Oakland.

Dumpster fire is too kind of a description to call the A's at home. Oakland is 3-22 in its last 25 home games, including losing its last eight. The A's have lost 15 of 17 overall, which now gives them the worst record in baseball with a .333 winning percentage.

Still think this price is too high to lay?

I certainly don't with a pitching matchup of Brady Singer versus Jared Koenig.

Singer is 3-1 with a 4.24 ERA. That ERA shrinks to 3.38 when he pitches on the road. Singer has had only one horrendous start this season. That came against the Astros, a far stronger hitting club than the A's, who rank in the bottom-two in runs, batting average and homers. Oakland has been shut out in 12 percent of its games.

Koenig has made two starts spanning a total of eight innings. He's allowed 14 hits, including two homers, and four walks during this span for an 11.25 ERA and 2.25 WHIP.

The Royals have shown improvement lately unlike the A's, winning five of their last nine games.