The Kansas City Royals will pay a visit to St. Petersburg to take on the Rays at Tropicana Field. Fox Sports Kansas City will televise this AL matchup and the action gets going at 7:10 p.m. ET.
Kansas City Royals vs. Tampa Bay Rays Odds
The Rays are 14-8 straight up (SU) and 14-7 against the spread (ATS). The team’s gained 3.9 units for moneyline bettors and 6.8 units ATS. Tampa Bay has a 3-4 ATS record over its last seven games and the over has hit in five of those seven. The Royals are 7-15 SU and have gone 11-10 against the spread. In total, the team’s lost 6.1 units for bettors taking the moneyline in this young season and 0.8 units ATS. Kansas City is 3-4 ATS over its last seven games and the total has gone under in five of those seven.
Tampa Bay games have an over/under record of 9-11-1 so far in 2019. Kansas City has an over/under record of 12-8-1.
The right-handed Brad Keller is getting the start for the visiting Royals. Keller (2-1, 2.64 ERA) has recorded 26 strikeouts in 30.2 innings so far. He has yet to face the Rays this year and did not record a start against them in 2018, either.
The Rays are turning to Yonny Chirinos (3-0, 3.26 ERA). Chirinos has 19 strikeouts and four walks, along with a WHIP of 0.83. Chirinos did not record a start against the Royals in 2018.
As a unit, Tampa Bay’s pitchers have yielded 3.0 runs per game overall in 2019. The club’s starters have a 1.92 ERA, 0.85 WHIP and 10.7 strikeouts per nine innings. The bullpen has a 3.82 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 9.4 K/9.
Tampa Bay’s offense has produced 4.9 runs per contest, including 5.8 per game over its last 10 games and 5.0 per game over its last five. The team has hit .263/.337/.525 over its last five matchups and is 1-4 SU during that stretch.
Austin Meadows and Tommy Pham have led the Rays’ hitters so far. Meadows is slashing .351/.422/.676 with six home runs, 19 RBIs and 11 runs scored, while Pham’s line sits at .289/.394/.434 with four homers, 10 RBIs, 11 runs and six steals.
In the other dugout, Kansas City’s pitching staff allowed 5.4 runs per game and its starting pitchers own a 4.98 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 8.41 K/9. The bullpen has logged an ERA of 6.06, along with a K-per-9 of 8.45.
The Royals offense has slashed .240/.319/.423 on its way to 4.5 runs scored per game in 2019, including 4.5 runs per game over the team’s last 10 games and 4.0 per game over the team’s last five outings (2-3 SU).
Kansas City’s hitters have been paced by second baseman Whit Merrifield and left fielder Alex Gordon. Merrifield is hitting .298/.323/.479 with three home runs, 10 RBIs, 16 runs and five stolen bases, while Gordon (.316/.398/.582) is up to four homers, 20 RBIs and 14 runs scored.
The Royals have lost 3.0 units and are 9-7 ATS when facing a right-handed starting pitcher this season. The over has cashed in 10 of those games, as opposed to six that’ve hit the under in such games. On the other hand, the Rays have netted 0.8 units and are 10-6 ATS when facing a right-handed starting pitcher. The over’s hit in eight of those games, as opposed to seven which went under the total.
Royals vs. Rays Free MLB Pick
Predictions: SU Winner – Rays, ATS Winner – Royals, O/U – OVER
Betting Notes
- Kansas City has logged 16 extra-base hits over its last five outings. Tampa Bay has 24 XBH over its last five.
- The Royals have a total OPS of .742 this season and an OPS of .785 when facing right-handed pitchers. The Rays’ OPS stands at .794 overall and .807 against righties.
- Kansas City has posted 20.7 Runs + Hits + Errors per game over its last 10 games and 19.6 over its last five.
- The Royals have hit 15 home runs in their last 10 games. The Rays have hit 19 over their last 10.
