Tampa Bay Rays vs Kansas City Royals MLB Betting Prediction

MLB Tampa Bay Rays vs Kansas City Royals Prediction 7/4/2024

The Tampa Bay Rays (43-43) travel to face off against the Kansas City Royals (48-40) on Thursday, July 4th. This game will be played at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City and televised on BSSUN. The Royals are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Rays are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Royals. First pitch is set for 7:10 CT.

Rays vs. Royals Betting Prediction

  • Money Line Prediction: Royals (+111)
  • Over/Under Prediction: Over 8.5 Runs
  • The Royals have won 6 out of their last 8 home games.
  • The Royals have outscored their opponents 39-18 in their last 8 home games.
  • The Royals have a 3-1 record against the Rays in their last 4 head-to-head matchups.
  • The Royals have scored 4 or more runs in 7 of their last 8 home games.
  • The Royals have held their opponents to 2 or fewer runs in 5 of their last 8 home games.

Rays vs Royals

tampa bay rays nba

Thanks to a two-run 7th inning for the Royals’ offense, they were able to pick up a 4-2 win over the Rays in the most recent game of this series. Heading into the game, the Royals were at -106 on the money line.

The starting pitching matchup for this game featured Ryan Pepiot for the Rays, and he went just four innings while giving up two runs and took the loss. Michael Wacha put together a good outing for the Royals, getting the win after going six innings and giving up one earned run.

Kansas City got a big performance from Bobby Witt Jr., as he went 2/3 with a home run and two RBIs. Vinnie Pasquantino also had a two-hit game and drove in a run for the Royals’ offense.

When the Rays are favored, they have struggled against the run line, going 17-31. However, as underdogs, they have a winning record of 22-16 vs. the run line. Overall, they have a 39-47 run line record. The under has hit in their last three games, and their games have gone over the total in 42 of 82 contests this season.

Currently, the Rays are 43-43 overall and 12 games behind the Orioles in the AL East. They have won four straight series and have a series record of 14-11-2 this year. On the road, they are 20-18 straight up and 23-15 vs. the run line.

Zach Eflin Gets The Start For The Rays

Tampa Bay is sending right-hander Zach Eflin to the mound today, and he comes in with a record of 4-5 and an ERA of 3.92. Eflin has made 15 starts this year, and he has pitched better at home, coming in with a 2.57 ERA compared to 5.06 on the road. So far, he has made five quality starts and is averaging 7.11 strikeouts per nine innings. In his last outing, Eflin picked up the win, going six innings and not allowing a run. Before that, he had given up at least two earned runs in three straight outings.

Rays Offense Breakdown

Heading into today’s game, the Rays offense is averaging just 4 runs per game, which is 25th in the league. They have been even worse at home, averaging only 3.8 runs per game. As a team, they are batting just .235 and are near the bottom of the league in terms of home runs. However, they do have two hitters in the lineup who have gone deep at least 11 times this season.

Isaac Paredes comes into the game as the Rays’ top run producer, with 46 RBIs and 14 homers, which is 13th in the league. However, he has hit just .206 over his last 10 games. Yandy Diaz has also gone deep seven times this season and has gone 12/44 in his last 10 games. Currently, Arozarena is on a five-game hitting streak, and Paredes has a three-game streak.

When the Royals are favored, they have a 19-18 run line record, but as underdogs, they are 31-20. Overall, their run line record is 50-38, which is impressive. Kansas City’s games have averaged 8.4 runs this season, and their over/under record is 36-49. Their under streak is at three games, and when the O/U line is 8.5, their record is 8-17.

At home, the Royals have a 31-17 straight-up record, and they are 14-10 as underdogs. Overall, they are 48-40 and have won two straight series. In the AL Central, they are seven games behind the Guardians. The Royals’ series record this season is 13-13-1, and they are 6-4 in their last 10 games.

Alec Marsh Gets The Start For The Royals

Kansas City is sending Alec Marsh to the mound today vs. the Rays, and he has made 15 starts this year. Marsh’s record for the season is 6-5, and he has an ERA of 4.19. In his 15 starts, Marsh has turned in four quality starts, and his ERA at home is 3.50 compared to 6.31 on the road. The right-hander’s WHIP for the season is 1.20, and he is coming off a start in which he gave up just one earned run in six innings of work. Before that, he had given up seven earned runs in back-to-back starts.

Royals Offense Breakdown

kansas city royals

Salvador Perez and Bobby Witt Jr. have been two of the Royals’ top run producers this season, with Perez batting .278 with 14 homers and Witt Jr. hitting .314 with 13 home runs. Witt Jr. also comes into the game on a three-game hitting streak. Vinnie Pasquantino has also been swinging a hot bat of late, going 12/31 in his last eight games with two homers and nine RBIs.

For the season, the Royals are averaging 4.5 runs per game, which is 13th in the league. At home, they are averaging 5.1 runs per contest. As a team, they are batting .244 and have the 11th best slugging percentage in the league. Overall, they are 15th in home runs.

Rays vs Royals Prediction

Getting the Royals at +111 on the money line is a great value, as we have them winning this one by a score of 6-5. If you’re looking for a parlay, you could also take the over, as we have the run total going over at 8.5.

Looking at the starting pitchers, Alec Marsh is projected to finish with seven strikeouts, which is the third-best among all starters. As for Zach Eflin, he is projected to finish with six K’s, which is right in the middle of the pack.


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.