NEWSLETTER
The Kansas City Royals (32-19), led by Maikel Garcia on a 10-game hitting streak, will meet the Tampa Bay Rays (25-26) Friday at Tropicana Field. The Royals are -118 favorites for the matchup, which starts at 6:50 PM ET on BSSUN.
Kansas City’s Seth Lugo gets the start, and he’ll go against Tampa Bay’s Shawn Armstrong.
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Royals and Rays Betting Trends
The Royals have won 16 of the 22 games they were listed as the moneyline favorite this season (72.7%).
Kansas City has a 14-3 record (winning 82.4% of its games) when playing as moneyline favorites of -118 or shorter.
The Rays have been underdogs in 17 games this season and won nine (52.9%) of those contests.
Tampa Bay has entered 11 games this season as the underdog by -101 or more and is 4-7 in those contests.
The Royals have played in 51 games with an over/under set, and have combined with their opponents to go over the total 20 times (20-29-2).
The Rays and their opponents have hit the over in 26 of their 51 games with a total this season.
Royals Stats & Insights
The Royals are the fourth-highest scoring team in baseball, averaging 4.8 runs per game (247 total).
Kansas City averages one home run per game to rank 17th in MLB action with 50 total home runs .
The Royals’ .250 batting average is eighth-best in the majors.
Kansas City’s hitters strike out 6.9 times per game, the second-fewest strikeouts in baseball.
The 8.2 strikeouts per nine innings compiled by the Royals pitching staff ranks 25th in the majors.
Kansas City has a 3.41 team ERA that ranks eighth across all MLB pitching staffs.
Rays Stats & Insights
The Rays have scored 205 runs (four per game) this season, which ranks 19th in MLB.
Tampa Bay’s 42 home runs rank 24th in Major League Baseball.
The Rays’ .239 batting average ranks 16th in the league this season.
Tampa Bay ranks 24th with an average of 9.1 strikeouts per game.
The Rays strike out 8.6 batters per nine innings as a pitching staff, 11th in MLB.
Tampa Bay pitchers have a combined ERA of 4.38 ERA this year, which ranks 22nd in MLB.
Royals Key Players to Watch
The Royals are sending Lugo (7-1) to make his 11th start of the season. He is 7-1 with a 1.79 ERA and 58 strikeouts through 65 1/3 innings pitched.
Bobby Witt Jr. is batting .308 with seven home runs and 33 RBI for Kansas City this season.
Salvador Perez is batting .337 with nine home runs and 39 RBI, all three of which lead Kansas City this season.
Garcia has collected 54 base hits, an OBP of .311 and a slugging percentage of .429 this season.
Vinnie Pasquantino has collected 39 hits this season and has an OBP of .311. He’s slugging .411 on the year.
Rays Key Players to Watch
The Rays’ Armstrong (1-1) will make his fourth start of the season.
Isaac Paredes paces the Rays with nine home runs and 28 runs batted in, while putting up a team-best batting average of .308.
Yandy Diaz is batting .255 with nine doubles, four home runs and 18 walks.
Jose Caballero has eight doubles, a triple, two home runs and 10 walks while batting .263.
Amed Rosario is hitting .294 with six doubles, three triples, two home runs and three walks.
Royals and Rays Injuries
Royals: Josh Taylor: 60 Day IL (Biceps), Kris Bubic: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Kyle Wright: 60 Day IL (Shoulder)
Rays: Colin Poche: 15 Day IL (Back), Chris Devenski: 15 Day IL (Knee), Zach Eflin: 15 Day IL (Back), Taylor Walls: 60 Day IL (Hip), Drew Rasmussen: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Shane McClanahan: 60 Day IL (Forearm), Jacob Waguespack: 60 Day IL (Shoulder), Jeffrey Springs: 60 Day IL (Elbow), Josh Lowe: day-to-day (Side)
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