The Tampa Bay Rays (42-42) travel to face off against the Kansas City Royals (47-39) on Tuesday, July 2nd. This game will be played at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City and televised on BSKC. Both team’s come into this one having won their previous games. First pitch is set for 7:10 CT.
Rays vs. Royals Betting Prediction
- Money Line Prediction: Rays (+106)
- Over/Under Prediction: Under 9.5 Runs
- The Rays have won 7 of their last 10 games.
- The Rays have scored an average of 5.2 runs per game in their last 10 games.
- The Rays have a better away record (19-17) compared to the Royals’ home record (30-16).
- The Rays have won 4 of their last 5 away games.
- The Rays have outscored their opponents by a total of 15 runs in their last 5 wins.
Rays vs Royals
The Rays Are Coming Off A Win
Heading into their last game vs. the Nationals, the Rays closed out the series with a 5-0 win. Leading up to the game, they were the heavy favorite at -191. Offensively, the Rays scored their five runs on nine hits and didn’t hit a home run.
Taj Bradley got the start for the Rays, going 5 2/3 innings, and didn’t give up a run. He also issued just two walks and struck out 11 Nationals batters. Isaac Paredes was hot at the plate, going 3/4 with a double, a run scored, and a RBI.
After winning two of three games against the Nationals, the Rays are 7-3 in their last 10 games and have won four straight series. They are currently at .500 with a 42-42 record and are 11 games behind the Orioles in the AL East standings.
On the run line, the Rays have been a good bet, covering in 38 of their 84 games overall and 22 of their 36 road games. As underdogs, they have covered in 21 of 37 games. The over/under record for Rays games this season is 42-38, with an average of 8.7 runs per game. Today’s over/under line of 9.5 runs is the highest of the season, as the line for 96.4% of their games has been set lower than 9.5 runs.
Zack Littell Gets The Start For The Rays
Tampa Bay is sending right-hander Zack Littell to the mound today as he faces the Royals on the road. Littell has made 16 starts this year and has a record of 2-5 with an ERA of 4.17. His WHIP for the season is 1.35. Littell most recently pitched on June 25th, where he finished with a no-decision after giving up two earned runs in five innings of work. He has finished with a no-decision in each of his last three outings. Littell has given up at least one homer in four straight starts.
Rays Offense Breakdown
Isaac Paredes has been a bright spot for the Rays this season, as he is hitting .276 and leads the team with 13 home runs and 43 RBIs. Paredes has also been swinging the bat well of late, going 5/19 in his last five games with two homers. Jose Siri and Randy Arozarena are also tied for 2nd on the team with 11 homers, but both players are batting below .220 for the season.
As a team, the Rays are averaging just 4 runs per game, which is 24th in the league. They have been even worse at home, averaging only 3.8 runs per game. Overall, they are batting just .236 and have the league’s 19th ranked home run total. Tampa Bay does come into the game with two of their hitters on three-game hitting streaks.
The Royals Are Coming Off A Win
The Royals’s offense was hot right out of the gates in their most recent game vs. the Guardians, closing out their series with a 6-2 win. After allowing one run to the Guardians in the top of the first, the Royals responded with a run of their own and added three more in the 2nd inning. Kansas City went on to close out the 6-2 win and was the -131 favorite at home going into the game.
Seth Lugo put together a good start for the Royals, going six innings and not giving up a run. He also issued just one walk and struck out 10 Guardians batters. Kansas City’s offense was carried by Salvador Perez, who went 1/4 with a homer and three RBIs.
At home, the Royals have been dominant, going 30-16 this season, and they have a 17-6 record as favorites. Overall, they are 24-12 when favored, and their run line record stands at 49-37. Kansas City has won three straight run line bets and has an average run margin of 3.7 runs per victory.
After sweeping the Guardians in their last series, the Royals are seven games behind Cleveland in the AL Central. Their overall series record this season is 13-13-1, and their games have averaged 8.5 runs per game. So far, only 2.3% of their games have had an over/under line of 9.5 runs, with 88.4% of their games having lower lines.
Brady Singer Gets The Start For The Royals
Brady Singer will be looking to build off his last outing, where he gave up just one earned run in 7 1/3 innings of work. In that outing vs. the Marlins, he allowed just five hits and issued one walk. Singer finished with a no-decision in the game. For the season, he has made 16 starts, has a record of 4-4, and his ERA is 3.12. Looking back over his last four outings, Singer has finished with a no-decision in three of them. The right-hander has given up just one earned run in three of his last four outings. Singer’s ERA for the season is 2.91 at home compared to 3.66 on the road.
Royals Offense Breakdown
Salvador Perez and Bobby Witt Jr. have been two of the Royals’ top power threats this season, as Perez’s 14 homers is 12th in the league, and Witt Jr. has 12 homers of his own. Witt Jr. is also batting a team-high .312, while Perez is right behind him at .281. Vinnie Pasquantino has a team-high 55 RBIs and is batting .247.
Over the team’s last six games, Pasquantino has gone 10/23 with two homers and eight RBIs, while Salvador Perez has also hit two homers in this stretch, going 7/23. Pasquantino and Perez are also on hitting streaks of three and five games, respectively.
Rays vs Royals Prediction
Our predicted score for this one is 5-4 in favor of the Rays, which is why we are recommending taking them on the money line at +106. If you’re looking to place a bet on the over/under line, we would suggest taking the under, as we have this one finishing with a combined nine runs.
Looking at the starting pitchers, Zack Littell is projected to finish with four strikeouts, which is the fifth lowest among today’s starters. As for Brady Singer, he is projected to finish with six K’s, which is the eighth best.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.
Last updated:July 2, 2024 Rays, Royals