Royals @ Astros

Who will WIN this matchup?

Kansas City Royals (29-48)

@ Houston Astros (51-27)

Starting Pitchers:

Heasley (KC): 1-4; 5.20 ERA

Odorizzi (HOU) 3-2; 3.13 ERA

Current odds:

Kansas City Royals: (+202)

Houston Astros: (-250)

• The starting line-up for the Royals is as follows:

• The starting line-up for the Astros is as follows:

• The Houston Astros are set to reinstate right-hander Jake Odorizzi off the injured list on Monday and give him the starting assignment in the opener of a four-game series against the visiting Kansas City Royals. Odorizzi last pitched May 16 because of lower leg discomfort. His return will yield a six-man rotation for the Astros, with Houston manager Dusty Baker giving right-hander Justin Verlander additional rest between his previous start and his next scheduled outing in the series finale against the Royals on Thursday. Verlander threw eight scoreless innings in a win against the New York Mets last Wednesday, and his 97 1/3 innings are second on the staff to Framber Valdez (101 innings).

• Odorizzi (3-2, 3.13 ERA) went 3-0 with a 0.79 ERA over his four starts before sustaining the injury during his start against the Red Sox on May 16 and subsequently landing on the IL. He is 3-6 with a 5.48 ERA over 15 career appearances (14 starts) against the Royals. He last faced them on Aug. 16, 2021, and did not factor into the decision of a 7-6 road loss after allowing four runs on eight hits and two walks with two strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings.

• Rookie right-hander Jonathan Heasley (1-4, 5.20) is the scheduled starter for the Royals on Monday. He took the loss in his outing last Tuesday against the Texas Rangers as he allowed a career-high seven runs on nine hits and two walks with three strikeouts over 3 2/3 innings.

• Heasley is winless over his past three starts, going 0-1 as he has given up 13 runs in 12 2/3 innings with a 9.24 ERA. He is 0-1 with a 5.01 ERA in five road starts this season. He will make his second career start against the Astros. He was the pitcher of record in the Royals’ 7-4 loss on June 5, allowing three runs on seven hits and two walks with five strikeouts over six innings.

• Kansas City defeated the Detroit Tigers 7-4 on the road on Sunday to win the three-game series. Royals right-hander Brady Singer matched his career high of nine strikeouts against the Tigers, allowing two runs on six hits and three walks over 4 2/3 innings. However, he did not factor into the decision after departing with the bases loaded in a 5-2 game in the bottom of the fifth inning.