Tampa Bay Rays at Kansas City Royals Game Preview - June 26, 2025

Thursday, June 26th, 2025

The Tampa Bay Rays (45-35, second in the AL East) take on the Kansas City Royals (38-42, third in the AL Central) on June 26, 2025.

The game is scheduled for 1:10 PM CT (2:10 PM ET) in Kansas City, Missouri.

Pitching Probables

Rays: Shane Baz (7-3, 4.79 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 77 strikeouts)

Royals: Michael Lorenzen (4-7, 4.81 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 69 strikeouts)

Game Details and Odds

Rays -127, Royals +107; over/under is 10 runs

Bottom Line

The Tampa Bay Rays will look to extend their five-game road win streak as they visit the Kansas City Royals. The Rays hold a 45-35 overall record and are 18-12 on the road. They boast the sixth-ranked team ERA in the AL at 3.52.

The Kansas City Royals are 38-42 overall with a 19-21 record in home games. The Royals have struggled when allowing home runs, holding a 13-33 record in such games.

This is the sixth meeting between the teams this season. The Royals currently lead the season series 3-2.

Top Performers

Royals

Maikel Garcia leads the Royals with a .310 batting average, accumulating 20 doubles, three triples, and eight home runs. Bobby Witt Jr. has been productive recently, going 12 for 39 with two home runs and three RBI in the last 10 games.

Rays

Brandon Lowe has contributed 10 doubles and 15 home runs for the Rays. Junior Caminero has been hot over the past 10 games, hitting 14 for 39 with two doubles and four home runs.

Last 10 Games

Royals: 4-6 record, .191 batting average, 3.17 ERA, outscored by five runs

Rays: 7-3 record, .319 batting average, 3.60 ERA, outscored opponents by 24 runs

Injuries

Royals

Cole Ragans: 15-Day IL (rotator cuff), Michael Massey: 10-Day IL (ankle), Hunter Harvey: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Alec Marsh: 60-Day IL (shoulder), James McArthur: 60-Day IL (elbow)

Rays

Manuel Rodriguez: 15-Day IL (forearm), Jonny Deluca: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Ha-Seong Kim: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Hunter Bigge: 15-Day IL (lat), Shane McClanahan: 60-Day IL (tricep), Richie Palacios: 10-Day IL (knee), Alex Faedo: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Nathan Lavender: 60-Day IL (elbow)

In summary

The Tampa Bay Rays visit the Kansas City Royals on June 26, 2025, at 1:10 PM CT. The Rays, with a 45-35 record, are second in the AL East, while the Royals are 38-42, third in the AL Central. Shane Baz is the probable starter for the Rays against Michael Lorenzen for the Royals. The Rays are favored (-127) in the matchup with an over/under set at 10 runs. Tampa Bay holds a road win streak and a better recent record (7-3 in last 10 games) compared to Kansas City (4-6). Key performers include Maikel Garcia and Bobby Witt Jr. for the Royals, and Brandon Lowe and Junior Caminero for the Rays. Both teams have several players on the injured list.

Related Links

• Tampa Bay Rays News & Updates
• Tampa Bay Rays Schedule & Scores
• Kansas City Royals News & Updates
• Kansas City Royals Schedule & Scores
• MLB News