Braves aim to break slide in matchup with the Royals

Atlanta Braves (44-60, fourth in the NL East) vs. Kansas City Royals (52-54, third in the AL Central)

Kansas City, Missouri; Monday, 7:40 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Braves: Spencer Strider (4-8, 3.72 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 89 strikeouts); Royals: Richard Hill (0-1, 1.80 ERA, 1.60 WHIP, one strikeout)

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Braves -169, Royals +142; over/under is 9 1/2 runs

BOTTOM LINE: The Atlanta Braves look to stop a five-game skid with a victory over the Kansas City Royals.

Kansas City is 52-54 overall and 26-27 in home games. Royals hitters are batting a collective .243, which ranks ninth in the AL.

Atlanta has gone 18-34 in road games and 44-60 overall. The Braves have the 10th-ranked team slugging percentage in the NL at .387.

The teams meet Monday for the first time this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Bobby Witt Jr. has 34 doubles, three triples and 15 home runs for the Royals. Salvador Perez is 12 for 38 with three doubles and five home runs over the last 10 games.

Matt Olson has 25 doubles and 18 home runs while hitting .263 for the Braves. Michael Harris II is 16 for 38 with three doubles, two triples and three home runs over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Royals: 6-4, .237 batting average, 3.33 ERA, outscored opponents by 10 runs

Braves: 2-8, .228 batting average, 6.83 ERA, outscored by 26 runs

INJURIES: Royals: Kris Bubic: 15-Day IL (rotator cuff), Jac Caglianone: 10-Day IL (hamstring), Nick Loftin: 7-Day IL (concussion), Michael Lorenzen: 15-Day IL (oblique), Cole Ragans: 60-Day IL (rotator cuff), Mark Canha: 10-Day IL (elbow), Daniel Lynch: 15-Day IL (elbow), Michael Massey: 10-Day IL (ankle), Alec Marsh: 60-Day IL (shoulder), James McArthur: 60-Day IL (elbow)

Braves: Grant Holmes: 60-Day IL (elbow), Spencer Schwellenbach: 60-Day IL (elbow), Chris Sale: 60-Day IL (rib), AJ Smith-Shawver: 60-Day IL (calf/elbow), Reynaldo Lopez: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Joe Jimenez: 60-Day IL (knee)

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.