Royals bring 3-game road win streak into game against the Rangers

By  THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
 
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Kansas City Royals (36-38, fourth in the AL Central) vs. Texas Rangers (36-38, fourth in the AL West)

Arlington, Texas; Thursday, 2:35 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Royals: Michael Wacha (3-6, 3.38 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 60 strikeouts); Rangers: Shawn Armstrong (2-1, 2.90 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 35 strikeouts)

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Royals -135, Rangers +114; over/under is 8 runs

BOTTOM LINE: The Kansas City Royals visit the Texas Rangers looking to continue a three-game road winning streak.

Texas has a 23-15 record in home games and a 36-38 record overall. The Rangers have a 25-10 record in games when they did not give up a home run.

Kansas City has gone 17-19 on the road and 36-38 overall. The Royals have the seventh-ranked team batting average in the AL at .249.

The matchup Thursday is the third time these teams match up this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Josh Smith leads the Rangers with a .292 batting average, and has 11 doubles, a triple, seven home runs, 23 walks and 20 RBIs. Adolis Garcia is 13 for 39 with a home run and eight RBIs over the past 10 games.

Bobby Witt Jr. has 24 doubles, three triples, nine home runs and 39 RBIs for the Royals. Salvador Perez is 11 for 37 with three doubles, four home runs and nine RBIs over the past 10 games.

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LAST 10 GAMES: Rangers: 7-3, .284 batting average, 3.26 ERA, outscored opponents by 24 runs

Royals: 3-7, .242 batting average, 4.25 ERA, outscored by 12 runs

INJURIES: Rangers: Josh Smith: day-to-day (hamstring), Tyler Mahle: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Nathan Eovaldi: 15-Day IL (tricep), Joc Pederson: 10-Day IL (hand), Cody Bradford: 60-Day IL (elbow), Jon Gray: 60-Day IL (wrist), Josh Sborz: 60-Day IL (shoulder)

Royals: Cole Ragans: 15-Day IL (rotator cuff), Michael Massey: 10-Day IL (ankle), Hunter Harvey: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Alec Marsh: 60-Day IL (shoulder), James McArthur: 60-Day IL (elbow), Sam Long: 15-Day IL (elbow), Kyle Wright: 15-Day IL (shoulder)

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.