The Tampa Bay Rays (62-54) will host the Kansas City Royals (48-71) in St. Petersburg on Thursday, August 18 at Tropicana Field. Each of these ball clubs will of course be searching for a win as they work their way through the final third of the regular season. Don’t miss the first pitch at 7:10 PM ET!
For context about Thursday’s regular season matchup, let’s take a look at how Tampa Bay and Kansas City have managed against each other this year.
This season, these two ball clubs have battled in three matchups as the Rays have claimed victory once against their opponents. In their most recent meeting on July 24, 2022, the Kansas City Royals came out on top by a score of 4-2. The Rays scored seven runs on six hits, while the Royals put up 0 runs on six hits. We’ll see who comes out on top this time when they meet at Tropicana Field.
Betting Preview for the Kansas City Royals vs Tampa Bay Rays MLB Game on August 18 2022
Where: Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL
When: Thursday, August 18, 2022 at 7:10 PM ET
Betting on the Kansas City Royals
Record: (48W-71L) | American League Central Standing: 4
The Royals were beaten by the Minnesota Twins 4-0 in their most recent outing on Wednesday, and we’ll be interested to see if this momentum continues. Overall this season, the team is currently batting .247 thanks in large part to their top hitter, Michael A. Taylor, who has a batting average of .268. Defensively, they carry an ERA of 4.66 and a .985 fielding percentage. Prior to placing your bet, don’t forget to consult our odds assessment below!
Absences and Injuries
Regarding inactive players,the Royals are without Taylor Clarke (Oblique), Angel Zerpa (Knee), Raúl Mondesi (Knee), Jacob Brentz (Flexor), Tyler Zuber (Shoulder), and Edward Olivares (Quad).
Betting on the Tampa Bay Rays
Record: (62W-54L) | American League East Standing: 2
In their most recent game on Wednesday, the Rays were defeated by the New York Yankees by a score of 8-7. For the regular season, the overall batting average for the team is currently .237 as Harold Ramírez leads the club hitting .327. Defensively speaking, the Rays hold an ERA of 3.43 and a fielding percentage of .986. Make sure you review our odds analysis below so you have all the info you need at your fingertips!
Absences and Injuries
It’s confirmed that the Rays are missing Jon Chargois (Oblique), Michael Zunino (Shoulder), Manuel Margot (Knee), Shane Baz (Elbow), Andrew Kittredge (Elbow), Brendan McKay (Shoulder), Yonny Chirinos (Elbow), Wander Samuel Franco (Wrist), Jonathon Feyereisen (Shoulder), Nick Anderson (Elbow), Josh Fleming (Oblique), Matthew Wisler (Neck), Kevin Kiermaier (Hip), and Tyler Glasnow (Elbow).
Kansas City Royals vs Tampa Bay Rays | Moneyline, Over/Under and Point Spread Odds
Moneyline Pick: Tampa Bay Rays (-222) at Unibet
The Tampa Bay Rays are considered the favorite in this one. The team enters the matchup with a winning percentage of 53.85% for this month, a record of seven victories in total. Comparatively, the Kansas City Royals’ winning percentage is lower at 47.06% for this month, accounting a total of eight wins.
Over/Under Pick: Under 7.5 Total Runs (-123) at Unibet
Before you place your bet, keep in mind that the projected over/under for this matchup is under 7.5. This means that the total number of runs for both teams is predicted to be under 7.5.
Runline Pick: Tampa Bay Rays -1.5 Runs (+105) at Unibet
The Tampa Bay Rays will need to win by the amount of the spread or more in order to cover a runline of -1.5.
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