Series Preview: Boston Red Sox vs. Kansas City Royals 7/12-7/14

The Boston Red Sox will wrap up the first half with a series against the Kansas City Royals this weekend. The Red Sox are coming off a series win over the A’s while the Royals are coming off a two-game series sweep over the Cardinals.

Boston Red Sox (51-41) vs. Kansas City Royals (51-43)

Game 1:

Date: Friday, July 12
Time: 7:10 pm EST
Broadcast: NESN

Game 2:

Date: Saturday, July 13
Time: 4:10 pm EST
Broadcast: NESN

Game 3:

Date: Sunday, July 14
Time: 1:35 pm EST
Broadcast: NESN

Probable Starting Pitchers

Game 1: Cooper Criswell (3-3, 4.15 ERA) vs. Cole Ragans (5-6, 3.28 ERA)

Criswell is expected to return and get the start to kick off the series, he is 3-3 with the Red Sox posting a 4.15 ERA, a 3.71 FIP, a 1.21 WHIP, a 2.3 BB/9, and an 8.5 K/9 in 52 innings. In his last start for the Red Sox, he went four innings giving up two runs on three hits; he walked two and struck out six. In his last outing at Worcester, he got the win going six shutout innings giving up one hit; he hit a batter and struck out eight. The Red Sox are 8-3 when he starts. Ragans gets the ball for Kansas City, he is 5-6 with a 3.28 ERA, a 2.74 FIP, a 1.17 WHIP, a 3.0 BB/9, and an 11.0 K/9. In his last five starts, he is 1-2 with a 3.81 ERA, a 1.21 WHIP, and 36 strikeouts in 30.2 innings. The Royals are 8-11 when he starts.

Game 2: Kutter Crawford (5-7, 3.24 ERA) vs. Seth Lugo (11-3, 2.21 ERA)

Crawford gets the middle game, he is 5-7 with a 3.24 ERA, a 3.82 FIP, a 1.07 WHIP, a 2.4 BB/9, and a 9.0 K/9 in 105.2 innings. He’s been dominant his last two starts going 2-0 with a 0.69 ERA, a 0.54 WHIP, and 11 strikeouts in 13 innings. The Red Sox are 6-12 when he starts. Lugo goes for the Royals and has been a surprise for them this season going 11-3 with a 2.21 ERA, a 3.29 FIP, a 1.04 WHIP, a 2.1 BB/9, and an 8.1 K/9 in 122 innings. In his last five starts, he is 2-1 with a 1.76 ERA, a 1.04 WHIP, and 35 strikeouts in 30.2 innings. The Royals are 12-7 when he starts.

Game 3: Brayan Bello (9-5, 5.40 ERA) vs. Brady Singer (5-5, 2.93 ERA)

Bello gets the final game of the first half he is 9-5 with a 5.40 ERA, a 4.44 FIP, a 1.49 WHIP, a 3.5 BB/9, and an 8.9 K/9 in 83.1 innings. In his last two starts, he is 2-0 with a 4.50 ERA, a 1.58 WHIP, and 18 strikeouts in 12 innings. The Red Sox are 10-6 when he starts. Singer goes for the Royals he is 5-5 with a 2.93 ERA, a 3.81 FIP, a 1.17 WHIP, a 2.8 BB/9, and an 8.5 K/9 in 101.1 innings. In his last five starts, he is 1-2 with a 2.08 ERA, a 1.06 WHIP, and 24 strikeouts in 30.1 innings: he’s given up one earned run in each of his last four starts. The Royals are 11-7 when he starts.

Boston Red Sox vs. Kansas City Royals Leaders

Red Sox:

AVG – Rafael Devers – .289
HR – Rafael Devers – 21
RBI – Rafael Devers – 58
IP – Tanner Houck – 117.0
ERA – Tanner Houck –2.54
K – Tanner Houck – 112

Royals:

AVG – Bobby Witt Jr. – .325
HR – Salvador Perez – 16
RBI – Bobby Witt Jr. – 62
IP – Seth Lugo – 122.0
ERA – Seth Lugo– 2.21
K – Cole Ragans – 134

Boston Red Sox vs. Kansas City Royals Numbers

Red Sox

AVG: .253 (8)
OPS: .746 (6)
R: 435 (12)
HR: 109 (8)
ERA: 3.65 (5)
K: 808 (8)
WHIP: 1.19 (7)

Royals

AVG: .247 (11)             
OPS: .713 (13)
R: 432 (13)
HR: 97 (17)
ERA: 3.79 (10)
K: 756 (23)
WHIP: 1.27 (17)

Wrap Up

The Red Sox will wrap up a surprising first half in which they are currently in a playoff spot entering this series. This series is the biggest one of the season as the Red Sox could take two of three and own that final spot or if they drop two out of three they are tied with the Royals. The Red Sox also enter this series only 3.5 half back of the Yankees for the top wild-card spot and have a chance at catching them. If the Boston bats show up they will win this series.