The Texas Rangers (18-16) travel to face off against the Kansas City Royals (20-14) on Sunday, May 5th. This game will be played at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City and televised on BSKC. The Rangers are coming off a win in their previous game, while the Royals are looking to get back on track from a loss to the Rangers. First pitch is set for 2:10 ET.
Rangers vs Royals
Thanks to a five-run 9th inning for the Rangers’ offense, they cruised to a 15-4 win over the Royals in the most recent game of this series. Heading into the game, the Rangers were at -109 on the money line.
The starting pitching matchup for this game featured Dane Dunning for the Rangers, and he went just 4 2/3 innings while giving up two runs and struck out four. Josh Sborz got the win out of the bullpen. Michael Wacha only went 3 2/3 innings for the Royals, giving up seven earned runs on nine hits.
Kansas City got on the board first with two runs in the 3rd, but the Rangers responded with three runs in the 4th and added five more in the 5th. As for the Royals, they scored their final two runs in the 5th and didn’t score another run the rest of the game.
Texas is on the road today vs. the Royals, and they are 18-16 overall, putting them 2nd in the AL West. The Rangers are a half-game behind the Mariners for the division lead, and they are 5-8 in AL West games this year.
The Rangers have been playing well of late, as they have won two straight series and are 6-4 over their last 10 games. So far, they have been even both as the favorite and the underdog, going 9-8 in each role. At home, the Rangers are 10-9 this year and 8-7 on the road.
When betting the run line, the Rangers have been a better bet on the road than at home, going 8-7 against the run line away from Globe Life Field. They have an overall run line record of 16-18, and their average run margin is +0.7 runs per game. They have been a better bet on the run line as the underdog, going 10-7, compared to 6-11 as the favorite.
When the Rangers and Royals met today, the over/under line was set at 8.5 runs. The over/under record for the Rangers this season is 14-19, and their average over/under line is 9 runs. The combined run average for their games is 8.8 runs per game, and the over/under record when the line is set at 8.5 runs is 4-6. This season, 55.9% of their games have had over/under lines set higher than 8.5 runs.
Jon Gray Gets The Start For The Rangers
Right-hander Jon Gray gets the start for the Rangers today as he faces the Royals on the road. Gray has made six starts this year and has a record of 1-1 with an ERA of 2.48. So far, he has made two quality starts and is coming off a game in which he allowed just one earned run in eight innings of work. In that outing, he gave up three hits, three walks, and didn’t allow a homer. Gray’s ERA on the road is 0.75, compared to 3.43 at home. Per nine innings, he is averaging 9.64 strikeouts and 3.03 walks.
Rangers Offense Breakdown
Adolis Garcia has been one of the most dangerous hitters in the league so far this season, as his eight home runs are 3rd in the league, and he is also 3rd in the league with 27 RBIs. Garcia has also hit for a solid average of .289. He has also gone deep in one of his last seven games. Evan Carter and Marcus Semien are tied for 2nd on the team with five homers apiece. Carter has hit .333 over his last eight games, while Semien is on a five-game hitting streak.
As a team, the Rangers are 10th in the league in scoring at 4.7 runs per game. They have been even better on the road, averaging 5.2 runs per contest. Overall, they are batting .253, which is 6th in the league.
Kansas City hosts the Rangers today with an overall record of 20-14, which has them 2nd in the AL Central. The Royals are 1.5 games behind the Guardians for the division lead, and they are 8-5 in AL Central matchups this year. So far, they are 13-6 at home compared to 7-8 on the road.
The Royals have won two straight games, and they are 8-4 as the home underdog this year. Kansas City’s overall series record is 5-5 heading into today’s game. As the underdog overall, the Royals are 13-10 this year and 7-4 as the favorite.
When the Royals win, they usually win big. They have an average run margin of 4.4 runs per game in their victories. That’s a big reason why they are 22-12 against the run line this season. They are 16-7 against the run line as an underdog and have covered the run line in each of their last three games as the underdog.
The Kansas City Royals have played 32 games this season, and the over/under line has been set at 8.5 runs or higher in 23.5% of them. The Royals have gone over the total in 4 of the 14 games with an over/under line of 8.5 runs. Their games have averaged 8.0 runs this season, and the over/under record for the season is 11-21.
Daniel Lynch IV Gets The Start For The Royals
Coming off a season in which he made nine starts, Daniel Lynch IV finished with a record of 3-4 and an ERA of 4.64. His WHIP for the season was 1.26, while opponents hit .235 off him. Lynch’s FIP for the season was 5.17, and he finished the year with four quality starts. On the season, Lynch averaged 5.85 strikeouts per nine innings and 2.75 walks per nine innings. Overall, he allowed nine home runs and finished the year with a strikeouts-to-walk ratio of 2.1.
Royals Offense Breakdown
Salvador Perez has been the Royals’ best hitter so far this season, as he is batting .339 with a team-high eight home runs and 30 RBIs. Perez’s 30 RBIs are the 2nd most in the league right now. Bobby Witt Jr. has also been a big part of the Royals’ lineup, as he is batting .313 with four homers and 19 RBIs. Witt Jr. has gone deep in two straight games.
As a team, the Royals are averaging 4.7 runs per game and are one of the best home run hitting teams in the league. They are also one of the toughest teams to strike out in the league. Kansas City’s offense has been even better at home, averaging 5.2 runs per contest.
Rangers vs Royals Prediction
With the Royals at +108 to pick up the win, this is a great spot to take them on the money line. We actually have the Royals winning this one 6-5, which means you could also look to take the over, as the line is sitting at 8.5 runs.
Looking at the Rangers lineup, they are not projected to hit as well as the Royals, with the Rangers predicted to finish with just nine hits compared to the Royals at 11.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
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Last updated:May 5, 2024 Rangers, Royals