Stephen Kolek has pitched very well since being acquired by the Royals. He’s allowed two runs, or less, in each of four starts for Kansas City despite his team going 2-2 SU in those outings, struggling to give him run support. Yusei Kikuchi owns a 3.00 home ERA, and the Royals have only been hitting .237 against lefties on the season.

Angels fades late in the season are nothing new; Septembers have been especially bad for the Halos lately. Since 2023, they're now 20-53 during this particular month. In 2025, it's 6-15, and after dreaming of contending for much of the summer, now the prospects of a 90-loss season seem very real at the Big A. Yusei Kikuchi has given the Angels a chance in some of his crescent starts, but not in others, and the bottom line is the Halos have lost in his last five outings. Meanwhile, ex-Padre Stephen Kolek has fared well in his KC audition for 2026, with a 1.71 ERA in his four starts, and working into the 8th inning last Thursday vs. Seattle. Play Royals on the Money Line.