Royals open 4-game series at home against Rays
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Tampa Bay Rays (18-9, first in the AL East) vs. Kansas City Royals (9-19, fifth in the AL Central)
Kansas City, Kansas; Monday, 8:15 p.m. EDT
BOTTOM LINE: Royals open 4-game series at home against Rays
The Royals are 6-9 in home games. The Kansas City pitching staff owns a team ERA of 5.30, Jorge Lopez paces the staff with a mark of 5.08.
The Rays are 9-2 in road games. The Tampa Bay offense has compiled a .255 batting average as a team this season, good for thirteenth in the American League. Tommy Pham leads the team with a mark of .296. This is the first game between these teams in 2019.
TOP PERFORMERS: Hunter Dozier leads the Royals with seven home runs and has 17 RBIs. Adalberto Mondesi is 13-for-40 with two doubles, a home run and 11 RBIs over the last 10 games for Kansas City.
Yandy Diaz leads the Rays with 13 extra base hits and has 16 RBIs. Austin Meadows is 18-for-40 with three doubles, a triple, four home runs and 13 RBIs over the last 10 games for Tampa Bay.
LAST 10 GAMES: Royals: 3-7, .249 batting average, 5.21 ERA, outscored by eight runs. Rays: 5-5, .241 batting average, 3.83 ERA, outscored opponents by four runs
ROYALS INJURIES: Trevor Oaks: 60-day IL (hip), Jakob Junis: day-to-day (hand), Jesse Hahn: 60-day IL (elbow), Brian Flynn: 10-day IL (elbow), Billy Hamilton: day-to-day (hamstring), Lucas Duda: 10-day IL (lumbar strain), Salvador Perez: 60-day IL (elbow).
RAYS INJURIES: Jose De Leon: 60-day IL (elbow), Anthony Banda: 60-day IL (elbow), Austin Meadows: 10-day IL (thumb), Joey Wendle: 10-day IL (wrist), Matt Duffy: 10-day IL (back).
The Associated Press contributed to this report.