Rays visit the Royals to start 3-game series

Tampa Bay Rays (58-35, first in the AL East) vs. Kansas City Royals (26-65, fifth in the AL Central)

Kansas City, Missouri; Friday, 8:10 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Rays: Tyler Glasnow (2-3, 4.10 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 64 strikeouts); Royals: Alec Marsh (0-2, 7.00 ERA, 1.78 WHIP, 10 strikeouts)

BOTTOM LINE: The Kansas City Royals host the Tampa Bay Rays to start a three-game series.

Kansas City is 13-31 at home and 26-65 overall. The Royals are 16-10 in games when they scored five or more runs.

Tampa Bay has gone 23-20 on the road and 58-35 overall. The Rays have the fourth-best team ERA in the majors at 3.69.

The teams meet Friday for the fifth time this season. The season series is tied 2-2.

TOP PERFORMERS: Maikel Garcia has 11 doubles, a triple, three home runs and 22 RBI for the Royals. Bobby Witt Jr. is 15-for-39 with three doubles, a triple and two home runs over the last 10 games.

Wander Franco has 21 doubles, four triples and 11 home runs for the Rays. Yandy Diaz is 12-for-36 with two doubles, a home run and five RBI over the last 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Royals: 3-7, .241 batting average, 5.57 ERA, outscored by 20 runs

Rays: 3-7, .223 batting average, 4.20 ERA, outscored opponents by two runs

INJURIES: Royals: Edward Olivares: 10-Day IL (oblique), Zack Greinke: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Josh Taylor: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Matt Beaty: 7-Day IL (concussion), Vinnie Pasquantino: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Josh Staumont: 15-Day IL (neck), Brad Keller: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Kris Bubic: 60-Day IL (flexor), Jake Brentz: 60-Day IL (elbow), Angel Zerpa: 60-Day IL (shoulder)

Rays: Tyler Glasnow: day-to-day (cramping), Shane McClanahan: 15-Day IL (back), Josh Fleming: 60-Day IL (elbow), Drew Rasmussen: 60-Day IL (flexor), Garrett Cleavinger: 60-Day IL (knee), Jeffrey Springs: 60-Day IL (elbow), Shane Baz: 60-Day IL (elbow), Andrew Kittredge: 60-Day IL (elbow)

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.