The Boston Red Sox will head west to play the Kansas City Royals at Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium. Fox Sports Kansas City is in line to televise this AL matchup and the opening pitch will be at 8:15 p.m. ET.
Boston Red Sox at Kansas City Royals Odds
Boston (-165) is the favorite against Kansas City (+155) and oddsmakers have set the Over/Under for this night game at 9.5 runs (-105 for the under and -115 for the over). Runline odds stand at -115 for picking the Red Sox -1.5 runs and -105 for the Royals +1.5.
The Royals are just 19-40 straight up (SU) and 29-30 against the spread (ATS). They’ve lost 14.2 units for moneyline bettors and 10.1 units ATS. Kansas City has covered the spread four times in its last seven games and the total has gone under in six of those seven. The Red Sox have gone 30-29 SU this year and are 24-35 ATS. Overall, the team’s lost 14.0 units for moneyline gamblers and 14.3 units ATS. Boston is 3-4 ATS over its last seven games and the over has cashed in four of those seven.
Kansas City games have had an over/under record of 29-26-4 thus far in 2019. Boston has been a decent over bet with a total record of 33-24-2.
The southpaw Eduardo Rodriguez is the probable starter for the visiting Red Sox. Rodriguez (5-3, 5.04 ERA) has recorded 66 strikeouts in 60.2 innings so far. He has yet to face the Royals this year and only made one start against them in 2018 (0-0, 11.25 ERA and six strikeouts over four innings).
The Royals are turning to righty Glenn Sparkman (1-1, 4.21 ERA), who has 17 strikeouts and seven walks, in addition to a WHIP of 1.40. Sparkman did not record a start against the Red Sox in 2018.
Kansas City’s pitching staff has allowed 5.3 runs per game overall this season as a unit. Its starting pitching staff has a 5.55 ERA, 1.48 WHIP and 7.5 strikeouts per nine innings. The bullpen has a 4.73 ERA, 1.47 WHIP and 8.9 K/9.
The Kansas City offense is putting up 4.3 runs per contest, including 3.6 per game over its last 10 games and 3.2 per game over its last five. The team’s hit .279/.321/.441 over its last five matchups and is 1-4 SU during that stretch.
Second baseman Whit Merrifield and shortstop Adalberto Mondesi have led the Royals’ offense this year. Merrifield is slashing .298/.352/.502 with seven home runs, 28 RBIs, 41 runs and eight steals, and Mondesi’s line sits at .285/.322/.489 with six homers, 42 RBIs, 35 runs and 21 stolen bases.
In the other dugout, Boston’s pitchers have allowed 4.8 runs per game and its starters own a 4.72 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and 9.41 K/9. The bullpen has an ERA of 4.09, along with a K-per-9 of 10.30.
Red Sox hitters have slashed .260/.342/.443 on their way to 5.3 runs scored per game in 2019, including 5.6 runs per game over the team’s last 10 games and 5.2 per game over the team’s last five outings (1-4 SU).
Third baseman Rafael Devers and shortstop Xander Bogaerts have paced Boston’s hitters. Devers is hitting .316/.372/.498 with eight home runs, 33 RBIs, 41 runs and seven stolen bases, while Bogaerts is hitting .305/.386/.550 with 12 homers, 39 RBIs and 47 runs scored.
The Red Sox have lost 5.6 units and are 19-23 ATS when facing a righty starter this season. The over has hit in 24 of those games, compared to 17 that’ve gone under in such games. On the other hand, the Royals have lost 2.1 units and are 8-7 ATS when facing a lefty starter. The over’s hit in five of those games, compared to eight that’ve gone under.
Red Sox at Royals MLB Tip
Predictions: SU Winner – Red Sox, ATS Winner – Red Sox, O/U – OVER
Betting Notes
- Boston has recorded 20 extra-base hits over its last five outings. Kansas City has 15 XBH over its last five.
- The Red Sox have a team OPS of .785 this season and an OPS of .796 against right-handed pitchers. The Royals’ OPS sits at .729 overall and .753 against righties.
- The Royals have dropped six of their last seven games SU.
- Kansas City has recorded 21.4 Runs + Hits + Errors per game over its last 10 outings and 23.2 over its last five.
- The Red Sox have hit 16 home runs in their last 10 games. The Royals have hit 11 over their last 10.
