Tampa Bay Rays (52-25) vs Kansas City Royals (20-54)
2023-06-23 18:40:00 EDT
The Line: Betting Odds: Tampa Bay Rays -208 / Kansas City Royals +160 --- Over/Under: 7.5
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The Kansas City Royals and the Tampa Bay Rays meet Friday in MLB action from Tropicana Field. This will be the second installment in a four-game weekend series. In the Thursday opener, the Royals eked out a close win. Check back all season long for free MLB picks at Sports Chat Place.
Kansas City Royals
The Royals played the Tigers this week, losing two of three games in that set. On Thursday versus Tampa, Kansas City scored four runs across their final three at-bats on the way to a tight 6-5 win. Jose Cuas went 1.1 innings in the start with two earned on two hits and a walk.
For the starter job in the Friday game the Royals will go with Zack Greinke. This year Greinke is 1-7 with a 4.81 ERA and 58 Ks in 76.2 innings. Greinke is 224-148 with a 3.46 career ERA in 571 games (529 starts).
Tampa Bay Rays
Over on the Rays’ side, they were able to split a pair with the Orioles this week. In the Thursday matchup Tampa Bay had a 5-3 lead after seven but couldn’t pull off the victory. Starter Shane McClanahan finished with 3.2 innings, two earned, four hits and two walks.
It’ll be Zach Eflin in the starting role for the Rays on Friday. Across his 13 starts this year Eflin is 8-3 with a 3.26 ERA and 77 Ks in 77.1 innings. Eflin is 44-48 with a 4.36 ERA in 140 career games (128 starts).
The Royals are 16-36 in their last 52 in game two of a series and 19-45 in their last 64 versus the AL East. Kansas City is 17-48 in their last 65 overall.
Meanwhile, the Rays are 4-0 in their last four Friday games and 47-15 in their last 62 at home. Tampa Bay is 52-25 in their last 77 overall.
ANDREW’S FREE PICK
I’ll stay with the Rays here. Eflin is 0-2 in his last pair of games however, so he’ll need some help from the bats/pen in game two. In those starts Eflin has given up six earned in 10.2 innings on nine hits and four walks. On Thursday Tampa Bay got a sketchy outing from the back end of the bullpen with four earned on five hits and two walks over 3.0 innings. Even after the tough opener, I still like the Rays to bounce back and notch a victory in game two.
