Pittsburgh Pirates at Kansas City Royals Preview: July 8, 2025 MLB Game

Tuesday, July 8th, 2025

Pittsburgh Pirates at Kansas City Royals Preview - July 8, 2025

The Pittsburgh Pirates face the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, with the first pitch scheduled for 7:40 PM EDT at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City.

Game Details

Pittsburgh Pirates (38-54, fifth in the NL Central) vs. Kansas City Royals (44-48, second in the AL Central)

Kansas City, Missouri; Tuesday, 7:40 p.m. EDT

Pitching Matchup

Pirates: Mitch Keller (3-10, 3.64 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 84 strikeouts)

Royals: Seth Lugo (6-5, 2.65 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 83 strikeouts)

Betting Information

Royals -141, Pirates +119; over/under is 8 runs

Bottom Line

The Pittsburgh Pirates aim to end their four-game losing streak against the Kansas City Royals.

Kansas City holds a 21-24 record at home and a 44-48 record overall. The Royals are 31-10 in games where they out-hit their opponents.

Pittsburgh's overall record is 38-54, with a 12-33 record in road games. The Pirates have a 27-9 record when they record more hits than their opponents.

This Tuesday matchup is the second meeting between the two teams this season.

Top Performers

Bobby Witt Jr. leads the Royals with a .296 batting average, hitting 30 doubles, three triples, and 13 home runs. Vinnie Pasquantino has been strong recently, going 11 for 40 with four doubles and four home runs over the last 10 games.

For the Pirates, Andrew McCutchen has contributed 14 doubles and eight home runs. Tommy Pham is currently hot, batting 13 for 35 with three home runs in his last 10 games.

Last 10 Games Performance

Royals: 6-4 record, .246 batting average, 3.83 ERA, outscored opponents by nine runs.

Pirates: 6-4 record, .245 batting average, 2.09 ERA, outscored opponents by 25 runs.

Injuries

Royals: Daniel Lynch (elbow), Cole Ragans (rotator cuff), Michael Massey (ankle), Hunter Harvey (shoulder), Alec Marsh (shoulder), James McArthur (elbow) are on the injured list.

Pirates: Ryan Borucki (back), Endy Rodriguez (elbow), Enmanuel Valdez (shoulder), Justin Lawrence (elbow), Tim Mayza (shoulder), Jared Jones (elbow), Johan Oviedo (elbow) are on the injured list.

In summary

The Pittsburgh Pirates take on the Kansas City Royals in MLB action on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, at Kauffman Stadium. The game is scheduled for 7:40 PM EDT. The Pirates, with a 38-54 record, are fifth in the NL Central, while the Royals are 44-48 and second in the AL Central. Mitch Keller is expected to pitch for Pittsburgh, facing Seth Lugo for Kansas City. Betting odds favor the Royals. Both teams have had a 6-4 record over their last 10 games, though the Pirates have a significantly better ERA and run differential in that span. Key players include Bobby Witt Jr. and Vinnie Pasquantino for the Royals, and Andrew McCutchen and Tommy Pham for the Pirates. Multiple players are currently on the injured list for both teams.

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Pittsburgh Pirates at Kansas City Royals Preview: July 8, 2025 MLB Game