Kansas City vs. Minnesota Odds & Prediction

The Kansas City Royals struggled to a .500 record last year after making two straight World Series appearances and winning the championship in 2015 but look to begin a bounce-back campaign when they visit the Minnesota Twins for the season opener on Monday. And if returning to the playoffs isn’t enough motivation for the Royals, they likely will attempt to improve in honor of right-hander Yordano Ventura, who was killed in a car crash in January.

Kansas City is counting on another big performance from Eric Hosmer, who led the team with a career-high 104 RBIs in 2016 and placed second with 25 home runs – also a personal best. Minnesota finished with 103 losses last season – the most in the major leagues – and figure to have a difficult time recording more than the 59 victories it posted. The Twins will begin the campaign without Byung Ho Park as the South Korean slugger was re-assigned to minor-league camp despite having a superb spring at the plate (.353 average, six home runs, 13 RBIs in 19 games). Robbie Grossman likely will be the team’s designated hitter and Jorge Polanco is the starting shortstop, while closer Glen Perkins (shoulder) is headed for the 60-day disabled list.

PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals LH Danny Duffy (2016: 12-3, 3.51 ERA) vs. Twins RH Ervin Santana (2016: 7-11, 3.38)

Duffy made a career-high 26 starts last season and was impressive enough to earn his first Opening Day start in the major leagues. The 28-year-old Californian took his final turn of 2016 against the Twins on Sept. 29 but struggled, yielding four runs and eight hits in 6 1/3 innings of a no-decision. Duffy also came away with a no-decision in his only start of the year at Minnesota on Sept. 7 despite recording 10 strikeouts but earned the victory against the Twins at home on Aug. 21 after allowing just one run in 6 2/3 frames.

Santana will be making his second consecutive Opening Day start after posting a team-best ERA last season. The 34-year-old Dominican, who spent 2013 with the Royals, has recorded only seven victories in each of his two campaigns with the Twins after registering 14 for Atlanta in 2014. Santana has had his problems with Hosmer, who owns a .348 average with three homers and 11 RBIs against the veteran.

WALK-OFFS

1. Twins C Jason Castro will be backed up by Chris Gimenez, as the 34-year-old won the job over John Ryan Murphy, who was optioned to Triple-A Rochester.

2. Kansas City OF Jorge Soler could begin the season on the DL due to a left oblique strain.

3. Minnesota, which has lost eight straight season openers, announced the fifth starter’s job will go to LHP Adalberto Mejia, who beat out a group that included Ryan Vogelsong and Nick Tepesch.