Free Pick | MLB | Sunday | May 25

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#971 Kansas City Royals (Bubic) +115 over Minnesota Twins (Ober) 1:10 PM CT

Kris Bubic is in the midst of a breakthrough season after injuries have derailed his career with fewer than 50 innings in 2023 and 2024. Bubic has a 2.70 FIP and while his ERA of 1.47 isn’t realistic over time, there is a lot to like about his profile so far in 2025. Bubic has a K/9 of nearly 9.0 and still gets groundballs at a solid rate. He has also posted a 1.51 ERA in over 35 road innings this season and in seven of his starts this season he has allowed one or zero runs. Bailey Ober has a 3.68 ERA but his K/9 is way down compared to his previous seasons at just 7.5 so far in 10 starts. Ober is an extreme flyball pitcher without elite strikeout potential and while he has so far gotten away with modest home run counts, his current home run to flyball ratio is way below his career norms and expected outcomes. Minnesota has won in walk-offs the past two games in this series as the Twins have some positive momentum and a great recent home record. This season series is tied 3-3 however and every game has been a close low-scoring result. Both teams have used significant bullpen appearances in the first two games of this series as the starters may carry more weight on Sunday and Minnesota has struggled vs. left-handed pitching. On the season Minnesota is batting just .215 with 3.1 runs per nine vs. lefties and Byron Buxton is yet to return from the IL as the lineup hasn’t been at full strength despite the wins the past two days.