Kansas City Royals vs Tampa Bay Rays Prediction, 6/25/2026 MLB Picks, Best Bets & Odds

Game: Kansas City Royals vs Tampa Bay Rays

Date: Thursday, June 25, 2026

Location: Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL

TV: MLB.TV

Odds/Point Spread: Kansas City (+132) Tampa Bay (-160)

The Kansas City Royals (34-46) are en route to Tropicana Field on Thursday where they will take on the Tampa Bay Rays (43-33). The odds on this game have the Royals at +132 and the Rays are opening at -160. The betting total is set at 8. The pitchers who are expected to start are Seth Lugo and Ian Seymour.

As a squad, the Kansas City Royals are recording 4.3 runs per game, which ranks them 18th in the league. They have earned a total of 345 runs scored while having a team on-base percentage of .320. The Royals have compiled 143 doubles as a squad and have knocked 80 balls out of the park. They have 330 runs batted in in addition to 668 base knocks on the campaign, while their team batting average is sitting at .248. Kansas City owns a slugging percentage of .397 and have been called out on strikes 629 times, while drawing a walk on 270 occasions.

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The Royals are sitting with a team ERA of 4.54 so far this season (24th in the league), and their staff has struck out 622 hitters. Royals pitchers have given up 98 home runs in addition to 381 runs (23rd in MLB). They have walked 303 opposing hitters and their FIP sits at 4.54 as a unit for the year. Kansas City has yielded 682 hits (8.7 per 9 innings) in addition to 357 earned runs. Their K/BB ratio is 2.05 and their pitching staff holds a collective WHIP of 1.39.

The Royals bullpen have earned a save rate of 56.8% and have stepped onto the mound in 69 save situations. They have compiled 21 saves on the year and have blown 16 of their 37 chances to get a save. The bullpen pitchers have inherited 71 runners over the course of the season with 35.2% of those runners ended up scoring. Royals pitchers have entered the game with runners on 53 times in addition to having 83 appearances in high leverage situations. The Royals have sent 253 relievers to the hill for the year. The relievers have 32 holds this season (25th in the league).

The Royals have converted 69.8% of balls in play into outs out of their 6,375 innings, ranking them 18th in MLB. The Kansas City Royals have a total of 2,125 putouts at this point in the season, as well as 700 assists and 33 errors. Their fielding percentage is currently at .988 which is 8th in professional baseball, and have accumulated 68 double plays.

Lugo has thrown 1,078 frames and has accounted for 1,020 K's during his MLB career. His earned run average is 3.51 (420 earned runs allowed) and his career WHIP is 1.187. He has allowed 976 base knocks (8.1 hits per nine innings) and has had 304 walks. Lugo (67-51 career win-loss record) is the owner of a FIP of 3.45 while he has faced 4,455 hitters in the major leagues.

The Rays hold a team slugging percentage of .382 and they are earning 4.38 runs per contest (16th in MLB). They have put up 107 two-baggers, while getting a free base 277 times and scoring 333 runs. Tampa Bay has knocked in 63 long balls this season to go along with 318 RBIs. They have struck out on 557 occasions (30th in the league) and have recorded 650 hits. The Tampa Bay Rays have compiled an OBP of .334 in addition to a batting average of .256 over the course of the season.

The Tampa Bay pitching staff have given up 333 runs for the season while having an ERA of 3.94 (297 earned runs yielded). They have conceded 92 home runs and they surrender 4.41 runs per 9 innings (12th in baseball). The Rays have a team WHIP of 1.230 and have a FIP of 4.19 as a staff on the season. Their K/BB ratio is 8.00 (600 strikeouts against 222 free passes). They are sitting at 6th in baseball as a pitching staff in total hits surrendered with 613.

Sitting with 96 save situations, the Rays have 54 holds and also 12 blown saves. Tampa Bay has called on bullpen pitchers to take the mound in 42 save opportunities and they have earned 30 saves. Tampa Bay relievers hold an inherited score rate of 25.3% out of their 91 inherited base runners. Their bullpen pitchers have stepped onto the mound 81 times in high leverage situations in addition to 65 occasions with base runners. They are ranked 8th in MLB with a save percentage of 71.4%, and they have sent 240 bullpen pitchers onto the field on the campaign.

The Tampa Bay Rays have gotten 48 double plays and own a fielding percentage of .983 (23rd in MLB). The Rays have recorded 621 assists, 45 errors and are sitting with 2,037 putouts over the course of the season. Out of their 6,111 innings on the diamond, the Rays have a efficiency on defense of 71.2% (4th in the majors).

In his pro baseball career, Seymour has allowed 85 base hits and he has 109 K's in 100 frames. Seymour (7-4 win-loss mark in his career) holds a 4.23 ERA while giving up 7.6 hits per 9 innings. He has given up 47 ER's while earning a WHIP of 1.229 and being the owner of a FIP of 4.2. His K/BB ratio is 2.87 and he has gone up against 428 batters so far in his MLB career.

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

Tony Sink's Pick: Take Kansas City (+132)

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