Preview: Rays looking to pull out of 4-game losing streak with series opener vs. Royals

Published Apr. 22, 2019 9:54 p.m. ET

TV: FOX Sports Sun

TIME: Pregame coverage begins at 6:30 p.m.

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Kansas City Royals (7-15, fifth in the AL Central) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (14-8, first in the AL East)

PITCHING PROBABLES

Royals: Brad Keller (2-1, 2.64 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 26 strikeouts)

Rays: Yonny Chirinos (2-0, 3.26 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 19 strikeouts)

BOTTOM LINE

Tampa Bay enters the matchup as losers of their last four games.

The Rays are 7-6 in home games. Tampa Bay ranks seventh in the MLB in hitting with a .262 batting average, Tommy Pham leads the club with an average of .289.

The Royals are 2-8 on the road. Kansas City has hit 27 home runs as a team this season. Hunter Dozier leads them with six, averaging one every 11.5 at-bats.

TOP PERFORMERS

Pham leads the Rays with 24 hits and has 10 RBIs. Austin Meadows is 18-for-40 with three doubles, a triple, four home runs and 13 RBIs over the last 10 games for Tampa Bay.

Alex Gordon leads the Royals with 13 extra base hits and has 20 RBIs. Adalberto Mondesi is 9-for-40 with two doubles, a triple, a home run and eight RBIs over the last 10 games for Kansas City.

LAST 10 GAMES

Rays: 5-5, .279 batting average, 3.77 ERA, outscored opponents by 18 runs

Royals: 5-5, .245 batting average, 4.43 ERA

Rays Injuries: Blake Snell: 10-day IL (toe), Jose De Leon: 60-day IL (elbow), Anthony Banda: 60-day IL (elbow), Austin Meadows: 10-day IL (right thumb sprain), Matt Duffy: 10-day IL (back), Ji-Man Choi: day-to-day (calf).

Royals Injuries: Trevor Oaks: 60-day IL (hip), Jesse Hahn: 60-day IL (elbow), Brian Flynn: 10-day IL (elbow), Danny Duffy: 10-day IL (shoulder), Salvador Perez: 60-day IL (elbow).