| MATCHUP | Kansas City Royals | Tampa Bay Rays |
|---|---|---|
| Team Records | 32-46 | 43-31 |
| Spread | +1.5 -143 | -1.5 119 |
| Moneyline | +158 | -193 |
| Total | Over 7.5 (100) | Under 7.5 (-120) |
| Where | Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida | |
| When | Monday, June 22, 2026 | |
| Time | 06:40 PM EDT | |
| TV | MLB.TV | |
Kansas City Royals Betting Preview
The Kansas City Royals are 32-46 on the year and play the White Sox and Rays next. The Kansas City Royals are batting .248 on the season, have a .321 OBP, and have a .395 slugging percentage. The Kansas City Royals pitching staff has a 4.58 ERA and a 1.39 WHIP. Bobby Witt Jr. leads the Kansas City Royals with 88 hits and 32 RBI, while Maikel Garcia and Jac Caglianone have combined for 136 hits and 57 RBI.
Michael Wacha gets the ball for the Kansas City Royals, and he is 4-5 with a 3.64 ERA and 72 strikeouts this season. Wacha is 3-5 with a 4.93 ERA and 49 strikeouts in his career against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Tampa Bay Rays Betting Preview
The Tampa Bay Rays are 43-31 on the year and play the Royals and Diamondbacks next. The Tampa Bay Rays are batting .256 on the season, have a .334 OBP, and have a .383 slugging percentage. The Tampa Bay Rays pitching staff has a 3.91 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP. Yandy Diaz leads the Tampa Bay Rays with 89 hits and 49 RBI, while Jonathan Aranda and Junior Caminero have combined for 151 hits and 85 RBI.
Drew Rasmussen gets the ball for the Tampa Bay Rays, and he is 6-3 with a 2.59 ERA and 84 strikeouts this season. Rasmussen is 4-1 with a 2.38 ERA and 24 strikeouts in his career against the Kansas City Royals.
Why the Tampa Bay Rays will win
- The Royals have lost each of their last nine night games following a home loss.
- The Rays have won eight of their last nine night games at Tropicana Field following a home win.
- The Royals have failed to cover the run line in each of their last 10 night games following a home loss.
- The Rays have covered the run line in four of their last five games against American League opponents after playing the previous day.
- The Rays have led after 5 innings in each of their last three home games against opponents that held a losing record.
Why the Kansas City Royals will win
- The Royals have won four of their last five games as road underdogs against the Rays.
- The Rays have lost four of their last five games as home favorites against the Royals following a win.
- The Royals have covered the run line in each of their last six road games against AL East opponents following a home loss.
- The Rays have failed to cover the run line in seven of their last eight games as home favorites against the Royals following a win.
- The Royals have led after 5 innings in three of their last four games against opponents that held a winning record.
Total Runs Facts
- Each of the Rays’ last five night games against American League opponents has gone UNDER the total runs line.
- Each of the Royals’ last four games as underdogs against American League opponents has gone UNDER the total runs line.
- There has been at least one run scored in the first inning in seven of the Royals’ last eight road games against American League opponents.
- There has been at least one run scored in the first inning in each of the Rays’ last six Monday night games.
Tampa Bay Rays Player Prop Facts
- Yandy Diaz has hit at least one home run in six of his last 14 appearances at Tropicana Field against opponents that held a losing record.
- Yandy Diaz has recorded two hits in each of the Rays’ last four games.
- Drew Rasmussen has recorded six or more strikeouts in four of his last five appearances in night games.
- Drew Rasmussen has recorded a win in four of his last five appearances in night games against teams that held a losing record.
- Yandy Diaz ranks 3rd amongst qualified players for Batting Average (.326) this season.
Kansas City Royals Player Prop Facts
- Lane Thomas has hit a home run in each of the Royals’ last two road games.
- Michael Wacha has recorded seven or more strikeouts in each of his last four appearances with his team as an underdog against the Rays.
- Vinnie Pasquantino has recorded at least one hit in each of his last eight appearances.
Matchup/League Facts
- The Rays rank 3rd in the league for batting average this season (.256).
- The Rays are one of only three teams in the league to rank in the top 10 in both steals and batting average this season.
- The Royals rank 24th in the league for opponent batting average this season (.254).
- The Royals rank 24th in the league for home runs allowed this season (97).
Kansas City Royals vs Tampa Bay Rays Prediction
Wacha has been solid with a 3.64 ERA and 1.14 WHIP, but the Royals have had issues stringing wins together all season, and they’ve been horrible on the road. The Rays have been ridiculous at home this season, and Rasmussen has been an all-star with his 2.59 ERA and 0.88 WHIP through 80 frames. Rasmussen has allowed 9 hits and 1 run in his last 21 innings. Rasmussen has a 2.88 ERA and a .208 allowed batting average at home. I have to roll with the Rays, and of course I’ll lay the RL to shave down the price.