Tampa Bay Rays vs
Kansas City RoyalsPredictions & Preview

Tampa Bay Rays Look to Sweep Kansas City Royals in Final Game of Series after Strong Start

The Tampa Bay Rays (44-35, 2nd AL East) will be facing off against the Kansas City Royals (38-41, 3rd AL Central) in the final game of a three-game series at Kauffman Stadium. Tampa Bay secured a 5-1 victory over Kansas City in the series opener on Tuesday and has been performing well lately, winning three of their last four games. The Rays trail first place in the AL East by just one game. Kansas City, on the other hand, has struggled recently, losing three straight and nine of their last 13 games. The Royals trail first place in the AL Central by 11 ½ games. In Thursday's matchup, Shane Baz will be starting for the Rays and Michael Lorenzen for the Royals. Tampa Bay is the betting favorite with a -120 line that has remained unchanged. With key players missing from both teams, it will be interesting to see how this game unfolds. Be sure to check out our detailed prediction for the Tampa Bay Rays vs. Kansas City Royals matchup and our top MLB picks for today.

Betting Odds

• Moneyline: Rays -120 | Royals +105
• Spread: Rays -1.5 (+126) | Royals +1.5 (-147)
• Total: Over/Under 10 (-110)
• Based on the moneyline, the implied probability that Tampa Bay will win straight-up is 55%.

Tampa Bay vs Kansas City Stats

Tampa Bay Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays are showcasing strong hitting and pitching performances this season. In hitting categories, they are 4th in batting average, 8th in runs scored, 10th in slugging percentage, and 11th in on-base percentage. Junior Caminero leads the team in home runs and RBI, while Brandon Lowe and Yandy Diaz contribute significantly as well. The Rays have a total of 218 extra base hits in 79 games. On the pitching side, they excel with a ranking of 2nd in Quality Starts, 3rd in WHIP, and 8th in ERA. Ryan Pepiot leads in strikeouts, and Drew Rasmussen in ERA for starters. Shane Baz leads the team in wins. Overall, the Rays have a power ranking of 1 and are ranked 6th in offense, 8th in defense, holding a record of 44-35 this season.

Kansas City Royals Analysis

The Kansas City Royals are currently ranked 29th in offense, with a batting average of .247 and 262 runs scored. Vinnie Pasquantino leads the team in home runs and RBI, while Bobby Witt Jr and Salvador Perez also have notable stats. The team has hit 129 doubles, 15 triples, and 56 home runs in 79 games. On the pitching side, the Royals rank in the top 11 in four categories, with Kris Bubic leading in wins, strikeouts, and ERA. The team will start Michael Lorenzo on Thursday, who has a 4-7 record, 4.81 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, and 69 strikeouts. Despite a power ranking of 26, the team has a strong defense, giving up an average of 3.63 points per game. Recently, Tampa Bay has had success against Kansas City, winning 2 out of 3 matchups.

Tampa Bay Faces Uphill Battle Against Dominant Kansas City Pitching

Tampa Bay has faced challenges in recent head-to-head matchups against Kansas City, having lost four out of the last six games. Despite Kansas City's recent struggles and initial loss in this series, their starting pitcher has demonstrated strong performance against the Rays in the past. Currently, Kansas City ranks 4th in ERA, compared to Tampa Bay's 8th ranking. Tampa Bay's starting pitcher Shane Baz had a difficult outing in his most recent game, giving up four hits in 5.1 innings, although he did strike out six batters. When Baz faced Kansas City on May 1, he struggled, allowing nine hits and seven runs in an 8-2 loss. On the other hand, Kansas City's starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen has shown consistency in his last three outings, allowing a total of 10 hits and seven runs in 17.1 innings. In a previous matchup against Tampa Bay on April 29, Lorenzen only allowed four hits and one run in 6.0 innings, contributing to Kansas City's 3-1 victory.

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