The Royals Starters Will Outshine Boston’s This Week
Red Sox vs Royals Preview: Could KC Add a Three-Game Sweep?

The Kansas City Royals will welcome the Boston Red Sox to Kauffman Stadium for a three-game series to begin the week. The Royals and Red Sox are on the outside looking in at the AL Wild Card. But that could change quickly, depending on how this series goes.
The Royals are 0.5 games out of the AL Wild Card, while the Red Sox are just 2.5 games out. While the Royals and Red Sox aren’t in the same division, this is a pivotal three-game series that could dictate the direction of both teams.
- In Game 1 of this series, the Royals are -135, with the total currently at 10. However, the Under is juiced to -115 at this time.
Check out our entire Red Sox vs Royals preview for this exciting three-game series.
Red Sox vs Royals 
📊 Records: Boston Red Sox (59-51), Kansas City Royals (63-50)
📅 Date & Time: Monday, August 5, 8:10 pm ET
📍 Location: Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, MO
📺 Streaming: NESN, Bally Sports Kansas City

Is Triston Casas Close to a Return?
Triston Casas is rehabbing in Triple-A as he looks to return to the big league club after sustaining a rib injury. However, Casas recently remarked that it felt like someone was stabbing him when he was taking a swing.
However, Alex Cora set the record that they were doing everything correctly, and Casas was a little playful.
There’s no timetable for Casas’s return to the big league roster, but he’ll be up soon enough to help the Red Sox make the playoffs.
Casas’ return likely won’t move the needle for the Red Sox’s odds to win the World Series.
Triston Casas doubled for the second day in a row on his rehab assignment.
Also made a nice defensive play at 1B. pic.twitter.com/beGSeRA19O
— Tyler Milliken ⚾️ (@tylermilliken_) August 4, 2024
The Royals Have Lots of Fight
The Kansas City Royals defeated the Tigers yesterday, thanks to a three-run, pinch-hit blast from MJ Melendez.
Nelendez was quoted after the game suggesting the Royals have a lot of fight in them. He also acknowledged that they’re a winning team.
Kansas City is currently 13 games over .500 and is playing its best baseball since its 2015 World Series run. Their MLB playoff odds are also the highest they’ve been in quite some time.
Red Sox vs Royals Preview & OddsFor Game 1:
RL: Royals -1.5 (+150) ML: Royals -135, O/U: 10 -105/–115
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Red Sox vs Royals Series Preview
⚾ Game 1 ⚾
Monday, 8:10 pm ET
James Paxton vs. Brady Singer
The Boston Red Sox will use James Paxton for tonight’s game. The left-hander has allowed a .214 ISO and a wOBA of .378 against his last 66 righties. He’s also walked 15.2% of righties and has allowed 54.8% of hard contact with nearly 43% of fly balls.
Paxton will face a Royals lineup that is nearly all righties. In addition, Kansas City’s lineup has struck out just 13.2% of the time against lefties over the last month. Not a single target has struck out more than 22.2% of the time against lefties over July. Look for the Royals to create havoc against Paxton.
On the flip side, Brady Singer will pitch for the Royals. He’s been worse against lefties, but overall, he has held his last 121 batters to a .099 ISO and wOBA of .280. Singer has also induced nearly 45% of ground balls in the previous 30 days and has allowed just 23% of fly balls.
Singer doesn’t have an easy assignment against the Red Sox. Boston has hit a .260 ISO and wOBA of .404 against righties over the last month. However, Singer still has much better stats overall than Paxton and should be able to escape more damage.
Boston also won’t do themselves any favors in the walk category. The Red Sox lineup has walked 5.9% of the time against righties over the last month. They’re aggressive at the plate, which won’t work very well against Singer, who typically limits hard contact.
Therefore, consider taking the Royals (-130) in Game 1 of this series after looking at today’s MLB odds.
⚾ Game 2 ⚾
Tuesday, 8:10 pm ET
Brayan Bello vs. Seth Lugo
In the second matchup, Brayan Bello will get the call. He’s a righty who has allowed a .202 ISO and wOBA of .358 to his last 125 batters. Bello has earned a high strikeout rate and has only walked 6.4% of batters over the last month. But the major issue for Bello is his high line drive rate, which has increased to 35.7% over the last month.
The Royals might not have as much power against righties, but they’ve still been able to add a high wOBA against righties with a low strikeout rate. The line drives will still be there against Bello.
Meanwhile, the Royals will counter with Seth Lugo. Lugo is a right-hander who has held his last 134 batters to a .119 ISO and wOBA of .259. He’s added a high number of grounders and has also allowed just 4.5% of walks over the last month.
Like the first game, the Royals have the better pitcher who can limit damage more. We’d back the Royals in Game 2.
⚾ Game 3 ⚾
Wednesday, 8:10 pm ET
Kutter Crawford vs. Cole Ragans
Boston will give Kutter Crawford the ball for the finale of this series. Crawford has limited walks, but everything else has been dreadful. He’s given up a .368 ISO and wOBA of .367 to his last 117 batters. He’s also totaled just 17.1% of strikeouts and has allowed more fly balls than ground balls.
He’ll go up against Cole Ragans of the Royals. Ragans is a lefty thrower who has held his last 99 batters to a .291 wOBA. His strikeouts have dropped over the previous month, but he’s still been consistent enough to limit his wOBA numbers. The Royals on the runline is the play in this game to close out the Red Sox vs Royals preview.