Free Sports Game Preview and Prediction: Kansas City Royals vs. San Diego Padres
Sunday, June 22, 2025 4:10 PM
Play: Money Line: -107 Kansas City Royals
The strikeout numbers aren’t great, and his early career track record didn’t suggest this path was likely, but Seth Lugo has undeniably been one of the best pitchers in the AL since joining the Royals last season. He has dominated in three June starts allowing only 10 hits and three runs and his strikeout rate is climbing upward in recent starts with 17 strikeouts over those three June outings. Lugo had a good season pitching for the Padres in 2023 that reestablished him as an MLB starter and he has solid career numbers at Petco Park. Randy Vasquez has a similar profile to Lugo, lacking great strikeout potential but finding ways to be effective. Vaquez has a 5.53 FIP this season sitting next to a respectable 3.70 ERA as he has been very fortunate with a .241 BABIP while stranding nearly 83 percent of his baserunners. With Lugo and a bullpen that rested most of its top options yesterday, Kansas City is a solid threat Sunday to take this series.