SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 27: Junior Caminero #13 and Chandler Simpson #14 of the Tampa Bay Rays celebrate on the field after defeating the San Diego Padres 4-2 at Petco Park on April 27, 2025 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)
The Kansas City Royals (14–15) and Tampa Bay Rays (14–14), two of the hottest teams in the American League, open a three-game series tonight at George M. Steinbrenner Field. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. EST.
The Royals, winners of six of their last seven matchups, will send right-hander Michael Lorenzen (2–3, 3.90 ERA) to the mound. The Rays, who have won five straight, will counter with right-hander Taj Bradley (2–1, 5.08 ERA).
Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino leads the team's offense with three home runs and 16 RBIs, while shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. carries a .315 batting average. For the Rays, third baseman Junior Caminero leads the team with five home runs, while first baseman Jonathan Aranda boasts a .309 batting average and a .412 on-base percentage.
Spread
- Royals +1.5 (-152)
- Rays -1.5 (+140)
Moneyline
- Royals +135
- Rays -147
Total
- OVER 8.5 (-120)
- UNDER 8.5 (+100)
*The above data was collected on April 29, 2025, and may have changed since writing.
Royals vs Rays Betting Trends
- The Royals are 5-5-0 against the spread over their last 10 games.
- The Rays' record against the spread is 7-3-0 over their past 10 games.
- The total has gone UNDER in 10 of the Royals' last 14 games.
- The total has gone UNDER in five of the Rays' last seven games..
- The Royals are 6-1 straight up in their last seven games, but 1-6 in their last seven games on the road.
- The Rays are 5-0 straight up in their last five games but 1-5 in their last six games at home.
Royals vs Rays Injury Reports
Royals
- Tyler Tolbert, 2B - Bereavement (personal)
- Sam Long, RP - 15-day IL (elbow)
- Alec Marsh, SP - 15-day IL (elbow)
- Cole Ragans, SP - Day-to-day (groin)
- Hunter Harvey, RP - 15-day IL (shoulder)
- Dairon Blanco, LF - 10-day IL (Achilles)
Rays
- Shane McClanahan, SP - 60-day IL (triceps)
- Ha-Seong Kim, SS - 10-day IL (shoulder)
- Jake Mangum, RF - 10-day IL (groin)
- Josh Lowe, RF - 10-day IL (oblique)
Royals vs Rays Predictions and Picks
"Royals starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen has been a pretty average pitcher this season, posting a 3.90 ERA and 3.92 FIP while allowing just one home run per nine innings. However, he's backed up by a Royals lineup that ranks 29th in the league with just 3.1 runs per game. Rays starter Taj Bradley owns a 5.08 ERA but is generating 10.3 strikeouts per nine innings for his career, with a 4.36 FIP this season while allowing 1.3 home runs per nine innings. Pick: Kansas City Royals vs. Tampa Bay Rays Under 9 Runs." — Greg Peterson, VSiN
"Kansas City has won six of its last seven, after taking two out of three from the Houston Astros and sweeping the Colorado Rockies. Tampa Bay has won five straight, but at home, the Rays have lost five of the last six and are 1-5 in the last six games playing against a team from the American League. Tampa Bay's pitching has been in strength this season, but its starter for this game arrives with a 5.09 ERA, while Kansas City's starting pitcher has a 3.90 ERA, which is below average but better than Tampa Bay's ... Prediction: Kansas City Royals." — Kevin Vallego, Winners and Whiners
