Royals vs. Rays Prediction, Computer Picks, Odds & Pitching Matchup 7/22/2022

The Tampa Bay Rays (51-41) and Brandon Lowe, coming off a four-hit game, are underdogs (-105) on the moneyline and will look to upset the Kansas City Royals (36-56) on Friday at 8:10 PM ET. Brad Keller will get the ball for Kansas City while Tampa Bay counter with Drew Rasmussen.

Royals vs. Rays Spread and Betting Line

Computer Predictions for Royals vs. Rays

Our best bet is the Rays on the moneyline at -105 after analyzing all of the key stats and trends for this matchup. Our computer predicts the total score will under the total of 9 runs.

Our computer pick: Tampa Bay Rays (-105) and Under (9)

Royals vs. Rays Game Info

• Kansas City Royals probable starting pitcher: Brad Keller
• Tampa Bay Rays probable starting pitcher: Drew Rasmussen
• Game Day: Friday, July 22, 2022
• Game Time: 8:10 PM ET
• Location: Kansas City, Missouri
• Stadium: Kauffman Stadium

Kansas City Royals vs Tampa Bay Rays Pitching Matchup

Royals Starter Brad Keller

• Keller (5-9) takes the mound for the Royals in his 18th start of the season. He’s put together a 4.15 ERA in 97 2/3 innings pitched, with 67 strikeouts.
• The righty’s last time out came on Monday, July 11 against the Detroit Tigers, when he threw 7 2/3 innings, surrendering one earned run while giving up three hits.
• In 17 games this season, the 26-year-old has amassed an ERA of 4.15, with 6.2 strikeouts per nine innings. Opponents are hitting .250 against him.
• Keller is trying to collect his 10th quality start of the season.
• Keller is seeking his fourth straight outing lasting five or more innings. He averages 5.2 innings per appearance on the hill.
• He will match up with a Rays team that is hitting .240 as a unit (16th in MLB). It is also slugging a collective .383 (20th in MLB) with 86 total home runs (21st in MLB).
• The 26-year-old ranks 52nd in ERA (4.15), 48th in WHIP (1.280), and 58th in K/9 (6.2) among qualifying pitchers in MLB play this season.

Rays Starter Drew Rasmussen

• The Rays will send Rasmussen (5-3) to the mound for his 16th start this season.
• The right-hander gave up three earned runs in 6 2/3 innings pitched on Thursday, July 14 in his last outing, a matchup with the Boston Red Sox.
• The 26-year-old has an ERA of 3.22, a 2.952 strikeout to walk ratio and a WHIP of 1.156 in 15 games this season.
• In 15 starts this season, he’s earned a quality start in three of them.
• In 15 starts, Rasmussen has pitched through or past the fifth inning nine times. He has a season average of 4.3 frames per outing.
• The Royals rank 14th in MLB with a .243 batting average this season. They have a team slugging percentage that ranks 23rd in the league (.378) and 76 home runs.

Royals Betting Picks & Insights

• This season, the Royals have won nine out of the 18 games, or 50%, in which they’ve been favored.
• Kansas City has a record of 9-9, a 50% win rate, when favored by -110 or more by sportsbooks this season.
• The implied probability of a win from the Royals, based on the moneyline, is 52.4%.
• So far this season, Kansas City and its opponents have hit the over in 45 of their 95 games with a total.
• The Royals have an ATS record of 43-52-0 in 95 games with a spread this season.

Rays Betting Picks & Insights

• The Rays have been underdogs in 29 games this season and have come away with the win 13 times (44.8%) in those contests.
• This season, Tampa Bay has come away with a win 12 times in 28 chances when named as an underdog of at least -105 or worse on the moneyline.
• The moneyline set for this matchup implies the Rays have a 51.2% chance of coming away with a victory in the contest.
• Tampa Bay and its opponents have gone over the total this season in 45 of their 92 opportunities.
• The Rays have an against the spread record of 42-50-0 in 92 games with a line this season.

Royals Leaders & Batting Stats

• The Royals best power option comes in the form of Bobby Witt Jr. and his 13-home-run 47-RBI season, both team highs.
• Witt Jr. is 51st in homers and 45th in RBI among all hitters in the majors.
• Andrew Benintendi has a club-best .317 batting average.
• Benintendi is 270th in homers and 92nd in RBI among all hitters in baseball.
• Benintendi heads into this game looking for his third game in a row with a hit. During his last five outings he is hitting .313 with a double, a walk and three RBI.
• Whit Merrifield is hitting .234 with 18 doubles, a triple, five home runs and 28 walks.
• Hunter Dozier is hitting .269 with 19 doubles, three triples, nine home runs and 23 walks.
• Dozier has recorded at least one hit in two games in a row. During his last five outings he is batting .294 with two doubles, a triple, a walk and an RBI.

Rays Leaders & Batting Stats

• Yandy Diaz leads the team in batting average with a high-water mark of .294.
• In all of MLB, Diaz is 270th in home runs and 176th in RBI.
• Randy Arozarena has driven in the most runs for the Rays with 43 runs batted in.
• Arozarena is 65th in homers and 63rd in RBI among all hitters in MLB.
• Ji-Man Choi is batting .278 with 16 doubles, seven home runs and 39 walks.
• Isaac Paredes has swatted a team-high 13 home runs.