Kansas City Royals vs Tampa Bay Rays Prediction, 5/24/2024 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Kansas City Royals vs Tampa Bay Rays

Date: Friday, May 24, 2024

Location: Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL

TV: Bally Sports Sun

The Tampa Bay Rays (25-26) will try to defeat the Kansas City Royals (32-19) at Tropicana Field on Friday. The pitchers who are expected to start will be Seth Lugo and Tyler Alexander.

The Royals have earned 91 doubles as a unit and have knocked 50 balls out of the park. Kansas City has a slugging percentage of .408 and have struck out 352 times, while being walked on 140 occasions. As a team, the Kansas City Royals are recording 4.8 runs per outing, which ranks them 6th in the league. They have amassed 238 RBI's and 422 hits this season, and their team batting average is sitting at .250. They have notched a total of 247 runs while having a team on-base percentage of .310.

Get all of our MLB Parlay Picks

The Royals have an ERA of 3.42 for the year (8th in baseball), and their staff has struck out 389 batters. Royals pitchers have surrendered 41 home runs and 169 runs in total (4th in baseball). Their pitching staff has walked 145 players from the other team and their FIP is 3.71 as a squad this season. Kansas City has given up 387 base hits (8.1 per 9 innings) as well as 163 earned runs. Their strikeout to walk ratio is 2.68 and their pitching staff has a team WHIP of 1.24.

The Royals have dispatched 154 relief pitchers to the hill on the campaign. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 56 runners this season with 21.4% of them earned a run for their team. They have accumulated 16 saves for the year and have not converted 5 of 21 save opportunities. The Royals bullpen have earned a save percentage of 76.2% and has stepped onto the mound in 52 save situations. The bullpen have a total of 30 holds for the season (10th in baseball). Royals relief pitchers have stepped onto the hill with runners on 30 times in addition to having 52 appearances in high leverage situations.

The Kansas City Royals have a total of 1,341 putouts on the campaign, as well as 450 assists and 19 errors. Their fielding percentage is holding at .990 which has them ranked 3rd in pro baseball, and have accumulated 34 double plays. The Royals have transformed 70.5% of balls hit into play into outs out of 4,023 innings on the field, which has them ranked 8th in MLB.

Lugo (47-32 career win-loss mark) sits with a FIP of 3.63 while he has gone up against 2,907 opposing hitters in the major leagues. He has surrendered 630 base knocks (8.0 hits per 9 innings) and has 186 walks. His ERA is 3.34 (262 ER's allowed) and he has a WHIP of 1.155. Lugo has taken the mound for 706 frames and has accumulated 706 strikeouts in his pro baseball career.

Tampa Bay is sitting with 42 home runs this year to go along with 187 runs batted in. They have recorded 69 two-baggers, while getting a free base 158 times as well as scoring 205 runs. The Tampa Bay Rays have earned an OBP of .310 and a batting average of .239 this season. The Rays have a slugging percentage of .359 and they average 4.02 runs per contest (21st in MLB). They have been called out on strikes on 464 occasions (5th in MLB) and have accounted for 407 base hits.

The Rays are sitting with a team WHIP of 1.247 with a FIP of 4.24 as a unit for the season. Their strikeout to walk ratio comes in at 8.60 (419 strikeouts against 139 free passes). They rank 24th in baseball as a staff in total hits allowed with 410. They have allowed 64 dingers and they relinquish 4.74 runs per 9 innings (20th in MLB). The Tampa Bay pitching staff have allowed 232 runs on the season and come in with a team ERA of 4.31 (211 earned runs surrendered).

Tampa Bay relievers have an inherited score percentage of 31.0% out of their 58 inherited runners. Their relievers have taken the field 75 times in high leverage situations and on 40 occasions with runners on base. With 62 save situations, the Rays have earned 35 holds in addition to 10 blown saves. They are ranked 16th in MLB holding a save rate of 61.5%, and they have dispatched 164 relief pitchers onto the field for the season. Tampa Bay has called on relievers to step onto the mound in 26 save chances and they have come away with 16 saves.

The Tampa Bay Rays have gotten 35 double plays and have a fielding percentage of .984 (15th in professional baseball). The Rays have racked up 394 assists, 29 errors and have earned a total of 1,376 putouts on the season. In 4,128 innings on the field, the Rays are sitting with a defensive efficiency of 70.3% (12th in baseball).

Alexander (13-25 career win-loss mark) has earned a 4.47 ERA while giving up 9.5 hits per 9 innings. He has a strikeout to walk ratio of 3.60 and he has faced 1,644 opposing hitters so far in his pro baseball career. He has allowed a total of 193 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.277 and having a FIP of 4.7. Thus far in his career, Alexander has surrendered 410 hits and he has 310 strikeouts in 388 innings pitched.

Who will win tonight's MLB game against the spread or moneyline?

Parlay's Pundit's Pick: Take Tampa Bay

Get $60 worth of FREE premium member picks. No Obligation. No Salesman. No Credit Card. Fast Sign up with Instant Access Click Here