Kansas City Royals at Tampa Bay Rays 8/19/22 - MLB Picks & Predictions

The Kansas City Royals play the second game of a four-game series on the road Friday against the Tampa Bay Rays. Kansas City is 48-71 following a 4-0 loss to the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday. Kansas City was shut out in each of its final two games of its series by Minnesota and was swept in the three-game series by the Twins. Kansas City is fourth in the American League Central, 15 ½ games behind first place Cleveland.

Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr is batting .251 to lead Kansas City with 105 hits, 57 RBIs and a .293 on-base percentage which leads Kansas City in each category. Catcher Salvador Perez is the leader in home runs with 17. On Friday, the Kansas City Royals will send Brady Singer to the mound. The right-hander is 6-4 with a 3.29 ERA, 107 Ks and 25 BBs.

Tampa Bay dropped to 62-54 following its 8-7 loss to the New York Yankees on Wednesday. Tampa Bay led 7-4 in the bottom of the 10th inning on the road against the New York Yankees but gave up a grand slam home run to lose. The loss snapped a four-game winning streak for Tampa Bay. The Rays are tied for second in the American League East with Toronto, 10 games behind first-place New York.

Yandy Diaz is batting .273 to lead Tampa Bay and the third baseman has a team high .383 on-base percentage. Left fielder Randy Arozarena has 16 home runs, 61 RBIs and 108 hits to lead Tampa Bay in each category. On Friday, the Tampa Bay Rays will send Shane McClanahan to the mound. The left-hander is 11-5 with a 2.28 ERA, 165 Ks and 26 BBs.