The Tampa Bay Rays host the Kansas City Royals on June 22, 2026. First pitch from Tropicana Field is scheduled for 6:40 p.m. EDT. The game will be broadcast on ROYL.
The Rays are favored by -190 on the moneyline and by -1.5 on the run line. The Royals are +160 on the moneyline and +1.5 on the run line. The total is set at 7.5 runs.
Find my MLB picks and Royals vs Rays prediction below, as well as probable pitchers, weather report, and more.
Royals vs Rays Prediction
- Royals vs Rays Pick: Rays -1.5
My Royals vs Rays best bet is on Tampa Bay to cover. Make sure to find the best odds by checking our live MLB odds page.
Royals vs Rays Odds
| Royals Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -146 | 7.5 102o / -124u | +160 |
| Rays Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 +122 | 7.5 102o / -124u | -190 |
- Royals vs Rays moneyline: Royals +160, Rays -190
- Royals vs Rays over/under: 7.5 (+102o / -124u)
- Royals vs Rays spread: Rays -1.5 (+122 ), Royals +1.5 (-146)
Royals vs Rays Probable Pitchers
| RHP Michael Wacha (KCR) | Stat | RHP Drew Rasmussen (TBR) |
|---|---|---|
| 4-5 | W-L | 6-3 |
| 1.5 | fWAR (FanGraphs) | 2.2 |
| 3.64 / 4.14 | ERA / xERA | 2.59 / 2.94 |
| 3.98 / 4.33 | FIP / xFIP | 3.03 / 2.82 |
| 11.5% | K-BB% | 23.1% |
| 38.3% | GB% | 49.3% |
| .269 | BABIP | .240 |
| 97 | Stuff+ | 107 |
| 102 | Location+ | 111 |
Royals vs Rays MLB Betting Preview
The weather doesn't matter in this one; we've got a closed-dome situation, and the Rays send their ace, Drew Rasmussen, to the bump. Rasmussen has a 24% K-BB% over his last eight starts. He has 84 strikeouts and just 13 walks this year. The pitch counts are still typically around 80-90, but it doesn't matter for this guy because he's so good and so efficient. He's gone seven innings in three straight starts, giving up all of one earned run over those 21 innings.
The lines are going to be juiced on him. Rasmussen is well known now.
The Rays are a huge favorite at -194 with the O/U set at 7.5. The Royals send Michael Wacha to the hill, and he hasn't been good this year. He had it going early in the season, but the league has warmed up and now he isn't doing very well. He has a 16.5% K% over his last seven starts with a terrible 44% Strike%. The ball is getting put into play a ton against him because, while he does buckle down and throw strikes when he needs to, he has posted just a 5.6% BB% during that span.
So the Rays are going to pile up some hits here, and I think they'll win comfortably. They don't hit many homers, so they'll need to hit well with runners on base. But I believe.
The Rays win this game 64% of the time in the sims. The average score is Rays 4.7, Royals 3.4. Let's build a little Rays-happy parlay for this one, because everything is pointing in their direction.
- Jonathan Aranda 2+ H+R+RBI
- Yandy Diaz 2+ H+R+RBI
- Rays Moneyline (-190)
That gives you +204 on DraftKings for a 3:1 return on your money.
But maybe you want to be a Rays fan tonight!
Pick: Rays -1.5 (+122)
