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Posted at 12:00 PM EST.

2:15 PM EST. This is Game 1 of a doubleheader, thus listed pitchers, Trevor Oaks vs Carson Fulmer is the wager we’re focusing on. Sometimes, there is a change of pitchers in DH’s so we just wanted to set that straight.

Frankly, we couldn’t care less about Chicago’s pitcher here, as this is a straight fade on K.C.’s starter, Trevor Oaks. As it turns out, Carson Fulmer will be starting for the South Side and he comes in with 6.00 ERA after four starts and one relief appearance, which will not endear him to the betting public. Fulmer is a college product that has struggled with his mechanics in both the minors and bigs with his long-term role still under debate. His power arm hasn't translated to whiffs, which he'll need to divert attention from his subpar control. However, he has 15 K’s in 18 frames and is coming off a six-inning outing in which he walked just one batter. He has his feet wet with some valuable experience and he has upside, which is a lot more than anyone can say about Oaks.

The Royals acquired infielder Erick Mejia and RHP Trevor Oaks in a three-team trade back on January 4, that also resulted in LHP Luis Avilan, RHP Joakim Soria and cash going to the Chicago White Sox, and LHP Scott Alexander and infielder Jake Peter heading to the Dodgers. Both Mejia and Oaks were far down the depth chart in the Dodgers organization, but this trade to KC offers a clearer path to the majors. After demonstrating strong command across a combined 200 Triple-A innings during 2017 and 23 frames this year, Oaks gets the call for today’s first game of a doubleheader.

Oaks’ was a 2014 seventh rounder that had Tommy John surgery in 2011. He possesses a big body and sturdy frame, with average present control of a plus fastball and above-average cutter at the top of his arsenal. He shows an ability to generate some swing-and-miss with the fastballs, but lacks a quality bat-missing secondary. The cutter gives him a chance to stay off left-handed barrels, but his secondary pitches run into each other with below-average movement. He's consistently around the zone and is at the mercy of batted balls in play because of his lack of strikeouts. Even in the minors, Oaks is not striking out enough batters, as his 11 K’s in 23 frames this season will attest to. Oaks’ offers an innings-eating ceiling at the back of a rotation, with 11th-or 12th-man bullpen projection. Chances are he’ll be heading back down after this line start and may never be seen again at this level unless those aforementioned secondary pitches show some major improvements. That this raw starter with questionable skills is priced in this range here while pitching for Kansas City is a bit nuts and thus, must be faded.

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