The Royals face off against the New York Yankees in Game Three of the American League Division Series later today. Following a game one loss, the Royals stormed back behind a four-run fourth inning to take game two in New York. Now, with the series shifting to Kauffman Stadium for the first time this postseason, the Royals can punch their ticket to the American League Championship Series in front of their home fans. They’ll need a victory on Wednesday and Thursday to do so. Here are some bold predictions for today’s game.

Seth Lugo pitches eight full innings in a winning effort

Seth Lugo has been a Cy Young candidate for the entire season thus far. He’s right there with Cole Ragans as the Royals ace. This team essentially has two of them. The postseason is where pitching shines, and I expect today that’s exactly what Lugo does. He made two starts this season against the Yankees. Across those two starts, he pitched to a 2.57 ERA with 14 strikeouts and just one walk. Aaron Judge and Juan Soto are a combined 4-for-29 against Lugo in their career. Judge is hitless in eight appearances against Lugo, while Soto has four hits and a home run across 21 plate appearances. That success should bode well for the Royals’ chances in this one. The last playoff game in Kauffman Stadium saw Johnny Cueto pitch a complete game and I expect Lugo will fall just short in still a dominant performance.

Bobby Witt Jr. makes his mark on the Divisional Series

Witt Jr. was key in the Royals’ Wild Card round victory over the Baltimore Orioles. He had an RBI in both games but has since gone 0-for-10 against the Yankees. Now back in the friendly confines of Kauffman Stadium, expect him to break out and make his mark. Witt is the type of Superstar that can take over the baseball game. He was dominant at home in 2024, slashing .382/.441/.676. He hit more home runs away from Kauffman Stadium but finished with 34 extra-base hits on the road and 54 at home. That comes thanks to his outstanding speed and how it plays up in The K. Hall of Fame legacies are cemented in October, and today will be the start of Witt’s.

Bench players continue to impact the game for the Kansas City offense

Don’t be surprised if Adam Frazier is in the lineup somewhere during this game. Frazier hasn’t played so far in the ALDS, but he’s 4-for-8 against Clarke Schmidt with a home run. Thus far, Garrett Hampson and Yuli Gurriel have been instrumental in the Royals’ success. Hampson has three hits and three RBI so far in the series. Gurriel, meanwhile, has created runs with his baserunning while getting on base six times this postseason. Those peripheral pieces outside of the team’s stars have been key to the team’s success so far, and that should continue to be the case in Game Three. This bold prediction says that Adam Frazier will come in clutch with a key RBI in game three.