The set-up: The 30-34 Kansas City Royals open a four-game series against the 35-34 Angels in Anaheim on Thursday. The Royals have scored the fewest runs (253 / 3.94 per) in the American League but have pushed 35 runs across the plate in winning four in a row. The Angels have won five of their last seven games and continue to stay competitive without reigning American League MVP Mike Trout. LA is 9-7 in his absence and is currently in second place in the AL West. The problem being, the Astros own an 11-game lead with MLB's best record (45-22).

The pitching matchup: Matt Strahm (1-3 & 4.50 ERA) starts for KC and Ricky Nolasco (2-7 & 4.81 ERA) for LA. Strahm will be making his first major-league start, after 41 relief appearances over the past two seasons. He is is holding opponents to a .178 batting average this season but has issued 18 walks in just 22 innings. Strahm has never has faced the Angels but note that he has recorded 56 strikeouts in 44 big-league innings. Nolasco enters this contest having lost five consecutive starts, which matches the longest skid of his career. His last win came back on April 27 (2-1 over Oakland), with him now going win-less in his last eight starts (team 0-8!). Nolasco is 2-4 with a 4.80 ERA in eight career starts against the Royals (teams are 2-6).

The pick: Yes, Nolasco has dropped five straight starts but he allowed three runs or fewer in three of them, including giving up just two runs on eight hits over seven innings in his last outing vs. Houston. The Royals are only 13-18 on the road and pitch a first-time starter against an LA team which has played well at home (20-13). Make the Angels a 10* play.