Game Overview
- Time: 7:10 PM ET
- Venue: Fenway Park, Boston, MA
- Broadcast: NESN, Bally Sports Kansas City, MLB Network, Fubo (regional restrictions)
The Red Sox are riding a seven-game home winning streak and have taken four of five from the Royals this season. Kansas City looks to salvage the series finale and stay within striking distance of the AL Wild Card race.
Pitching Matchup
| Team | Starting Pitcher | Record | ERA | WHIP | Strikeouts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royals | Michael Wacha (RHP) | 5–9 | 3.38 | 1.16 | 95 |
| Red Sox | Dustin May (RHP) | 6–7 | 4.85 | 1.35 | 97 |
- Michael Wacha has been quietly effective, coming off an eight-inning, one-run gem. He owns a 2.14 career ERA vs. Boston and relies on pinpoint command and a deceptive changeup.
- Dustin May makes his Red Sox debut after being acquired from the Dodgers. He brings electric stuff but has struggled with consistency. His 8.4 K/9 and swing-and-miss arsenal could be key against a Royals lineup that doesn’t walk much.
Team Performance Snapshot
Boston Red Sox
- Record: 64–51 (2nd in AL East)
- Home Record: 39–21
- Batting Average: .254 (4th in MLB)
- Slugging %: .432 (5th)
- Home Runs: 141 (9th)
- Runs Scored: 568 (4th)
- Team ERA: 3.03 over last 10 games
Kansas City Royals
- Record: 56–58 (3rd in AL Central)
- Road Record: 28–30
- Batting Average: .244 (18th in MLB)
- Slugging %: .386 (24th)
- Home Runs: 99 (28th)
- Runs Scored: 477 (19th)
- Team ERA: 3.58 (2nd in MLB)
Players to Watch
Boston Red Sox
- Trevor Story: 12-for-36 with 4 doubles and 3 HR over last 10 games; 72 RBIs on the season
- Jarren Duran: 31 doubles, 12 triples, 12 HR; .264 AVG
- Alex Bregman: .295 AVG, 14 HR, 45 RBIs; clutch with runners in scoring position
Kansas City Royals
- Bobby Witt Jr.: .287 AVG, 16 HR, 63 RBIs, 29 SB; multi-tool threat
- Maikel Garcia: 14-for-38 with 3 doubles, 1 triple, 2 HR in last 10 games
- Salvador Perez: 3 HR in last 10 games; veteran leadership behind the plate
Betting Trends
- Red Sox ATS: 61–52
- Royals ATS: 58–56
- Red Sox are 9–1 in their last 10 games, averaging 6.2 runs per game
- Royals have scored 4 or fewer runs in 5 of their last 10
- Over 9 runs has hit in 6 of Royals’ last 8 games and 5 of Red Sox’s last 7
Injury Report
Boston Red Sox
- Roman Anthony (back) – day-to-day
- Tanner Houck, Hunter Dobbins, Liam Hendriks – 60-day IL
- Marcelo Mayer (wrist), Triston Casas (knee), Kutter Crawford (knee) – IL
Kansas City Royals
- Steven Cruz (shoulder), Kris Bubic (rotator cuff), Michael Lorenzen (oblique) – IL
- Jac Caglianone (hamstring), Mark Canha (elbow), Michael Massey (ankle) – IL
- Alec Marsh, James McArthur – 60-day IL
Final Thoughts
The Royals vs. Red Sox matchup at Fenway Park features two teams with postseason aspirations but vastly different momentum. With Boston’s offense surging and Dustin May making his debut, the Red Sox are well-positioned to extend their home win streak. Kansas City will need a vintage outing from Wacha and timely hitting to avoid a sweep and stay in the playoff hunt.
Game Odds
Kansas City Royals 9
Boston Red Sox – 144
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Tuesday, August 5, 2025
