Royals vs Padres Picks and Prediction – 6/21/2025

The Kansas City Royals (37-38) head to Petco Park for a Saturday showdown with the San Diego Padres (40-34). First pitch is set for 5:15 PM EST, with lefty Noah Cameron (2-2, 1.91 ERA) on the mound for Kansas City, facing Dylan Cease (2-6, 4.69 ERA) for San Diego. The Royals just wrapped up a sweep of the Rangers, including a 4-1 win on Wednesday. The Padres took the series finale from the Dodgers with a 5-3 win. Elevate your MLB game with our top-notch MLB picks.

Kansas City is finally showing life again after a brutal slump, winning three straight in Texas and allowing just five runs total. The lineup is still inconsistent, but Vinnie Pasquantino has been solid with 11 homers and 41 RBIs, while Maikel Garcia leads the team with a .313 average and .372 OBP. The offense sits at .248 with 253 runs scored and 53 homers—nothing flashy but enough to win if pitching holds up.

On the mound, the Royals have been one of the best in baseball, with a team ERA of 3.36 and WHIP of 1.20. Opponents are hitting just .234 against them. Noah Cameron has been lights out in limited innings, giving up only 26 hits in 42.1 frames with a 0.90 WHIP. Injuries continue to chip away, though, with Michael Massey and Sam Long still out, along with Blake Mitchell and Kyle Wright.

The Padres return home after dropping three of four to the Dodgers, though they salvaged the finale behind a big night from Fernando Tatis Jr., who now has 13 homers and a .270 average. Manny Machado is producing as well with a .310 average and team-leading 45 RBIs. San Diego leads Kansas City in nearly every offensive category, including runs (312), homers (63), and on-base percentage (.315).

San Diego’s pitching has been more middle-of-the-pack. The team ERA sits at 3.60 with a 1.22 WHIP. Opponents are hitting just .227, which is solid, but Dylan Cease has struggled with consistency, giving up 77 hits and 30 walks over 80.2 innings. The Padres are still without Yu Darvish, Jason Heyward, and Jackson Merrill. 

Kansas City starter Noah Cameron's 1.91 ERA and 0.90 WHIP are too good to ignore, especially against a Padres team that hasn’t been consistent at the plate lately. The Royals have momentum with three straight wins and a hot stretch from Garcia and Pasquantino. Cease’s 4.69 ERA and control issues could give Kansas City just enough edge. Final Score Prediction: Kansas City wins 4-3.