4:10 pm
June 19

Red Sox @ Royals

Who will WIN this matchup?

Boston Red Sox (42-28)

@ Kansas City Royals (31-37)

 

Starting Pitchers:

Perez (BOS): 4-4; 4.52 ERA

Keller (KC) 6-6; 6.14 ERA

 

Current odds:

Boston Red Sox: (-115)

Kansas City Royals: (+105)

 

• After snapping a six-game losing streak with a 5-3 win over the Boston Red Sox on Friday night, the Kansas City Royals will look for their second straight win against the Sox on Saturday afternoon. Instead of using an opener for a second straight day, the Royals will move up their next two starters.

• Right-hander Brad Keller (6-6, 6.14 ERA), originally slated to start Sunday, will be Saturday’s starter instead. The Red Sox will counter with Martin Perez (4-4, 4.52).

• With an off day Thursday, Keller and Sunday’s starter, left-hander Mike Minor, were able to be moved up a day and still be kept on regular rest. Even though Keller, 25, has struggled, he has been more consistent than the other young starters. Royals manager Mike Matheny is using everything he can think of to get his young rotation back on track.

• Matheny needs Keller to return to the form that led him to being the team’s opening-day starter. He had chipped away at an ERA that was at 12.00 after four starts. He lowered it for eight straight starts after that, but in his past two, he has allowed 11 earned runs in 10 1/3 innings.

• Perez is struggling as well. Like Keller, he has lost his past two starts, allowing 11 earned runs in just 3 1/3 innings. Against the Blue Jays in his most start, last Sunday, he surrendered three home runs, including a first-inning, three-run shot. He was pulled in the second inning of Boston’s 18-4 loss. The onslaught included season highs in runs and hits (20) allowed, as well as a franchise-record eight home runs given up.

• Boston has won three of its past four games but has given up eight runs in two of them. “It’s been a horrible week for us, pitching-wise,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “For us to keep going and stay where we are (in playoff position), we have to pitch.”

4/10
Confidence
StreakSmarter Pick
Boston Red Sox
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