Rays seek to extend win streak, play the Royals

Updated Jul. 16, 2023 4:00 a.m. ET
Associated Press

Tampa Bay Rays (60-35, first in the AL East) vs. Kansas City Royals (26-67, fifth in the AL Central)

Kansas City, Missouri; Sunday, 2:10 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Rays: Zach Eflin (10-4, 3.25 ERA, .99 WHIP, 105 strikeouts); Royals: Jordan Lyles (1-11, 6.33 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 69 strikeouts)

FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Rays -217, Royals +181; over/under is 9 1/2 runs

BOTTOM LINE: The Tampa Bay Rays seek to prolong a three-game win streak with a victory against the Kansas City Royals.

Kansas City has gone 13-33 at home and 26-67 overall. The Royals are 10-51 in games when they have given up a home run.

Tampa Bay is 60-35 overall and 25-20 in road games. Rays hitters have a collective .331 on-base percentage, the sixth-best percentage in MLB play.

The matchup Sunday is the seventh time these teams meet this season. The Rays have a 4-2 advantage in the season series.

TOP PERFORMERS: Salvador Perez leads the Royals with 15 home runs while slugging .442. Bobby Witt Jr. is 13-for-39 with four doubles, a triple, three home runs and eight RBI over the past 10 games.

Wander Franco has 11 home runs, 33 walks and 45 RBI while hitting .278 for the Rays. Yandy Diaz is 12-for-36 with two doubles, a home run and five RBI over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Royals: 2-8, .233 batting average, 5.36 ERA, outscored by 23 runs

Rays: 3-7, .209 batting average, 4.00 ERA, outscored by seven runs

INJURIES: Royals: Josh Staumont: 60-Day IL (neck), Edward Olivares: 10-Day IL (oblique), Zack Greinke: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Josh Taylor: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Matt Beaty: 7-Day IL (concussion), Vinnie Pasquantino: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Brad Keller: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Kris Bubic: 60-Day IL (flexor), Jake Brentz: 60-Day IL (elbow)

Rays: Shane McClanahan: 15-Day IL (back), Josh Fleming: 60-Day IL (elbow), Drew Rasmussen: 60-Day IL (flexor), Garrett Cleavinger: 60-Day IL (knee), Jeffrey Springs: 60-Day IL (elbow), Shane Baz: 60-Day IL (elbow), Andrew Kittredge: 60-Day IL (elbow)

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

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