On Friday, a series opener is on the schedule, with the Boston Red Sox (51-41) hosting the Kansas City Royals (51-43) at 7:10 PM ET.
The Royals are a tight favorite (-119 to win on the moneyline) when they meet the Red Sox (-101). The Royals will give the ball to Cole Ragans (5-6) versus the Red Sox and Josh Winckowski (2-1).
The Royals won their last contest versus the Cardinals by an 8-5 score Friday, with Michael Wacha picking up the win pitching going five innings, giving up three earned runs on seven hits while striking out three. Kyle Isbel went 2-for-3 with a home run and an RBI to lead them offensively.
Yesterday, the Red Sox knocked off the Athletics 7-0. Tanner Houck was the winning pitcher after throwing six innings without giving up an earned run on two hits, while striking out six. Masataka Yoshida paced the Red Sox’s offense, going 3-for-4 with a home run and four RBI.
Here’s what you need to get ready for Friday’s Royals vs. Red Sox contest, including viewing options.
Kansas City Royals vs. Boston Red Sox odds and betting lines
MLB odds courtesy of BetMGM Sportsbook. Odds updated Friday at 9:16 AM ET. For a full list of Sports betting odds, access USA TODAY Sports Betting Scores Odds Hub.
- Favorite: Royals (-119, bet $119 to win $100)
- Underdog: Red Sox (-101, bet $101 to win $100)
- Over/under: 9
Royals vs. Red Sox: Live streaming info & game time
- Game Day: Friday, July 12, 2024
- Game Time: 7:10 PM ET
- Stadium: Fenway Park
- TV Channel: Bally Sports
- Live Stream: Fubo (Watch for free)
Royals stats and trends
Royals betting records
- The Royals have entered the game as favorites 35 times this season and won 23, or 65.7%, of those games.
- Kansas City has a record of 19-9 in games when oddsmakers favor them by at least -119 on the moneyline.
- The implied probability of a win from the Royals, based on the moneyline, is 54.3%.
- Kansas City’s games have gone over the total in 40 of its 94 chances.
- In 94 games with a spread this season, the Royals are 52-42-0 ATS.
Cole Ragans (Royals probable starter)
- Ragans (5-6 with a 3.28 ERA and 134 strikeouts in 109 2/3 innings pitched) gets the start for the Royals, his 20th of the season.
- In his last time out on Saturday against the Colorado Rockies, the left-hander threw seven innings, allowing two earned runs while surrendering five hits.
- The 26-year-old has a 3.28 ERA and 11 strikeouts per nine innings in 19 games this season, while allowing a batting average of .222 to his opponents.
- Ragans heads into the outing with 13 quality starts under his belt this year.
- Ragans has pitched five or more innings in a game 17 times this year heading into this matchup.
- In four of his 19 total appearances this season he has not given up an earned run.
- He will match up with a Red Sox team that is hitting .253 as a unit (seventh in MLB). It is also slugging a collective .423 (sixth in MLB) with 109 total home runs (eighth in MLB).
- Among pitchers who qualify in MLB action this season, the 26-year-old ranks 23rd in ERA (3.28), 34th in WHIP (1.167), and eighth in K/9 (11).
Royals batting stats
- The Royals have hit 97 homers this season, which ranks 17th in the league.
- Fueled by 279 extra-base hits, Kansas City ranks 12th in MLB with a .406 slugging percentage this season.
- The Royals rank 11th in MLB with a .247 team batting average.
- Kansas City has scored 432 runs (4.6 per game) this season, which ranks 13th in MLB.
- The Royals have an on-base percentage of .306 this season, which ranks 20th in the league.
- Kansas City ranks third in MLB in strikeouts per game with an average of 6.9 whiffs per contest.
Red Sox stats and trends
Red Sox betting records
- The Red Sox have been underdogs in 43 games this season and have come away with the win 24 times (55.8%) in those contests.
- Boston has a mark of 18-16 in contests where sportsbooks favor it by -101 or worse on the moneyline.
- The Red Sox have an implied victory probability of 50.2% according to the moneyline set for this matchup.
- Boston and its opponents have gone over in 45 of its 92 games with a total set by sportsbooks this season.
- In 92 games with a line this season, the Red Sox have a mark of 43-49-0 against the spread.
Josh Winckowski (Red Sox probable starter)
- The Red Sox will send Winckowski (2-1) out to make his sixth start of the season. He is 2-1 with a 3.27 ERA and 33 strikeouts through 41 1/3 innings pitched.
- In his most recent time out — out of the bullpen on Wednesday — the righty threw 2 1/3 innings against the Oakland Athletics, giving up one earned run while surrendering two hits.
- In 16 games this season, the 26-year-old has put up an ERA of 3.27, with 7.2 strikeouts per nine innings. Opponents are hitting .275 against him.
- Winckowski has yet to register a quality start so far this year.
- Winckowski has two starts this season that he pitched five or more innings.
- He has had seven appearances this season that he held his opponents to zero earned runs.
- The opposing Royals offense has a collective .247 batting average, and is 14th in the league with 771 total hits and 13th in MLB action with 432 runs scored. They have the 12th-ranked slugging percentage (.406) and are 17th in all of MLB with 97 home runs.
Red Sox batting stats
- The Red Sox are eighth in MLB action with 109 total home runs.
- So far this season, Boston’s .423 slugging percentage ranks sixth-best in baseball.
- The Red Sox are seventh in MLB with a .253 batting average.
- Boston scores the 12th-most runs in baseball (435 total, 4.7 per game).
- The Red Sox are ninth in MLB with an on-base percentage of .322.
