Preview: Rays close out 9-game homestand with finale against slumping Royals

Published Apr. 24, 2019 3:49 p.m. ET

TV: FOX Sports Sun

TIME: Pregame coverage begins at 12:30 p.m.

WATCH IT LIVE ON FOX SPORTS GO

Kansas City Royals (7-17, fifth in the AL Central) vs. Tampa Bay Rays (16-8, first in the AL East)

BOTTOM LINE

Tampa Bay can secure a series sweep over Kansas City with a win.

The Rays are 9-6 on their home turf. Tampa Bay has a collective on-base percentage of .338, good for second in the American League. Tommy Pham leads the team with a mark of .411.

The Royals are 2-10 in road games. Kansas City has hit 31 home runs as a team this season. Hunter Dozier leads them with seven, averaging one every 10.1 at-bats.

TOP PERFORMERS

Yandy Diaz leads the Rays with six home runs and is batting .278. 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.

Dozier leads the Royals with seven home runs and has 12 RBIs. Alex Gordon has 11 hits and is batting .268 over the last 10 games for Kansas City.

LAST 10 GAMES

Rays: 5-5, .254 batting average, 3.58 ERA, outscored opponents by 12 runs

Royals: 3-7, .221 batting average, 5.59 ERA, outscored by 16 runs

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).

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), Hunter Dozier: day-to-day (back), Salvador Perez: 60-day IL (elbow).