The Kansas City Royals will look for a second straight series win when they take on the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday, June 25.
With a distinct pitching advantage, my Royals vs. Rays predictions and MLB picks have the AL Central bottom-dwellers coming up aces as the road dog against a Tampa side that’s struggling to string together wins.
Who will win Royals vs Rays today: Royals moneyline (+124)
The Kansas City Royals' offense has done heavy lifting this series, but pitching should carry them Thursday.
Seth Lugo has allowed one earned run or fewer in three of his last four starts, and the Tampa Bay Rays have historically been kept off balance with his high-spin curveball with a sinking and four-seam fastball.
Tampa’s offense is batting .222 in the series with 26 strikeouts. On the mound, the Rays will use opener Casey Legumina and funnel innings into a taxed bullpen (4.59 ERA).
With the cleaner starting edge and a more stable path through nine innings, I’d back the Royals up to -120.
COVERS INTEL: Lugo has dominated the Rays in his career, going 3-0 in three starts with a 1.86 ERA and 15 strikeouts. He’s pitched into the sixth inning in each of those starts.
Royals vs Rays Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (-103)
Even though Lugo has proven to shut the Rays down, Kansas City could be doing much of the heavy lifting to get to the Over themselves.
They’ve hit .283 collectively as a team in this series, pounding out 26 hits and 17 runs, and they’ll get to work over a not-so-great bullpen again Thursday.
For their struggles this series, totaling just eight runs in three games, the Rays are generally a better scoring team at home, where they own the best record in the AL.
They’re just outside the Top 10 in runs scored at home, at 4.69. The Over has hit in each of the last two games, and I like the trend to continue — though I would play it tight to that 8.5 line.
- ML/RL bets: 11-11, -0.27 units
- Over/Under bets: 14-7, +7.13 units
Royals vs Rays weather
Dome.
Royals vs Rays odds
- Moneyline: Royals +127 | Rays -133
- Run line: Royals +1.5 | Rays -1.5
- Over/Under: Over 8.5 | Under 8.5
Royals vs Rays trend
Five of KC's last six games have gone Over the total. Find more MLB betting trends for Royals vs. Rays.
How to watch Royals vs Rays and game info
| Location | Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL |
| Date | Thursday, June 25, 2026 |
| First pitch | 12:10 p.m. ET |
| TV | Royals.TV, Rays.TV |
| Royals starting pitcher | Seth Lugo (3-4, 3.69 ERA) |
| Rays starting pitcher | Casey Legumina (2-1, 3.45 ERA) |
Royals vs Rays latest injuries
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