Tampa Bay Rays vs Kansas City Royals Prediction, 7/4/2024 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Tampa Bay Rays vs Kansas City Royals

Date: Thursday, July 4, 2024

Location: Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, MO

TV: Bally Sports Sun

Kauffman Stadium is the site where the Kansas City Royals (47-40) will attempt to beat the Tampa Bay Rays (43-42) on Thursday. The game can be seen on Zach Eflin and Alec Marsh.

The Rays have tallied 129 doubles as a unit and have knocked 77 balls out of the stadium. Tampa Bay has a slugging rate of .370 and have been called out on strikes 765 times, while being walked on 268 occasions. As a unit, the Tampa Bay Rays are putting up 4.0 runs per game, which puts them at 24th in MLB. They have 319 runs batted in and 670 hits this year, while their team batting average is sitting at .236. They have accumulated 342 runs scored and hold an OBP of .310.

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The Rays are sitting with a team ERA of 4.25 on the year (22nd in MLB), and their staff has struck out 744 hitters. Rays pitchers have relinquished 115 home runs and 394 total runs (22nd in the league). Their pitching staff has walked 240 players from the other team and their FIP is 4.26 as a squad for the season. Tampa Bay has yielded 715 hits (8.4 per 9 innings) and also 362 earned runs. They have a strikeout to walk ratio of 3.10 and the pitching staff holds a WHIP of 1.25.

The Rays relievers have a save percentage of 60.5% and stepped onto the hill in 97 save situations. The relievers have inherited 99 base runners on the year with 29.3% of them earned a run for their team. Rays relief pitchers have stepped onto the hill with runners on base 68 times in addition to having 122 appearances in high leverage situations. The Rays have sent 290 relief pitchers to the hill over the course of the season. The relievers have notched 52 holds this year (9th in the league). They have compiled 26 saves for the season and have missed out on 17 of 43 save opportunities.

The Rays have turned 70.2% of balls hit into play into outs out of their 6,897 innings, which has them sitting at 13th in MLB. The Tampa Bay Rays have accounted for 2,299 putouts on the year, in addition to 660 assists and 40 errors. Their fielding percentage is currently at .987 which is 9th in pro baseball, and they have turned 57 double plays.

Eflin has taken the hill for 923 innings and has tallied 807 strikeouts during his MLB career. His earned run average is 4.25 (436 ER's allowed) and he has a career WHIP of 1.229. He has allowed 943 base knocks (9.2 hits per 9 innings) and has had 191 walks. Eflin (56-58 career win-loss record) has earned a FIP of 4.19 and he has gone up against 3,869 opposing hitters during his time in the major leagues.

The Royals hold a slugging % of .402 and they tally 4.52 runs per game (13th in MLB). They have 147 doubles, while getting a free base 241 times as well as putting up 393 runs. Kansas City has accounted for 87 long balls this year to go along with 381 RBIs. They have struck out on 611 instances (28th in MLB) and are sitting with 703 hits. The Kansas City Royals hold an OBP of .306 in addition to a team batting average of .244 this season.

The Royals are sitting with a team WHIP of 1.261 and have a FIP of 3.84 as a staff this year. They are sitting at 19th in baseball as a pitching staff in total hits given up with 697. The Kansas City pitching staff have surrendered 342 runs this season while holding an ERA of 3.78 (320 earned runs relinquished). They currently have a strikeout to walk ratio of 8.20 (694 strikeouts vs 264 walks). They have relinquished 77 homers and they concede 4.04 runs per 9 innings (9th in MLB).

Sitting with 73 save situations, the Royals have earned 39 holds in addition to 12 blown saves. Kansas City has had relievers step onto the hill in 33 save opportunities and they have walked away with 21 saves. Their relief pitchers have come in 80 times in high leverage situations and on 65 occasions with runners on. Kansas City relievers have an inherited score percentage of 26.5% out of 113 inherited runners. They sit at 15th in baseball with a save rate of 63.6%, and they have sent 274 relievers to the hill this season.

Out of their 6,858 innings played, the Royals have accumulated a defensive efficiency of 69.9% (14th in professional baseball). The Kansas City Royals have gotten 64 double plays and hold a fielding percentage of .987 (11th in MLB). The Royals have accrued 790 assists, 42 errors and have earned 2,286 putouts for the year.

So far in his MLB career, Marsh has conceded 150 base knocks and he has 159 strikeouts in 155 frames. He has allowed a total of 85 earned runs while holding a WHIP of 1.378 and being the owner of a FIP of 4.9. His strikeout to walk ratio is 2.48 and he has faced 680 opposing batters thus far in his career. Marsh (9-14 career record) has a 4.93 ERA while giving up 8.7 hits per 9 innings.

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

Guy Bruhn's Pick: Take Kansas City

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