Athletics take home losing streak into matchup with the Royals

Sat, Jun 18, 2022
MLB News (AP)

Kansas City Royals (22-41, fifth in the AL Central) vs. Oakland Athletics (22-44, fifth in the AL West)

Oakland, California; Saturday, 4:07 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Royals: Brad Keller (1-8, 4.74 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 41 strikeouts); Athletics: Cole Irvin (2-3, 3.34 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 37 strikeouts)

FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK LINE: Athletics -110, Royals -110; over/under is 7 1/2 runs

BOTTOM LINE: The Oakland Athletics are looking to break their seven-game home slide with a victory against the Kansas City Royals.

Oakland has gone 7-25 in home games and 22-44 overall. The Athletics have a 5-11 record in games decided by one run.

Kansas City is 22-41 overall and 10-20 on the road. Royals hitters have a collective .302 on-base percentage, the 10th-ranked percentage in the AL.

Saturday's game is the second meeting between these teams this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Elvis Andrus has three home runs, 17 walks and 11 RBI while hitting .224 for the Athletics. Christian Bethancourt is 11-for-33 with three doubles, three home runs and seven RBI over the last 10 games.

Bobby Witt Jr. has 15 doubles, four triples and eight home runs while hitting .245 for the Royals. Salvador Perez is 12-for-41 with three doubles, a triple and two home runs over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Athletics: 2-8, .213 batting average, 5.75 ERA, outscored by 32 runs

Royals: 5-5, .269 batting average, 4.50 ERA, even run differential

INJURIES: Athletics: Daulton Jefferies: 60-Day IL (arm), Skye Bolt: 60-Day IL (oblique), Stephen Piscotty: 10-Day IL (calf), Deolis Guerra: 60-Day IL (elbow), Brent Honeywell Jr.: 60-Day IL (elbow)

Royals: Joel Payamps: 15-Day IL (undisclosed), Jake Brentz: 60-Day IL (flexor), Zack Greinke: 15-Day IL (flexor), Adalberto Mondesi: 60-Day IL (knee), Edward Olivares: 10-Day IL (quadricep), Cam Gallagher: 10-Day IL (hamstring), Tyler Zuber: 60-Day IL (shoulder)

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