Matchup: Pittsburgh Pirates (38–54) vs. Kansas City Royals (44–48)
Date: Tuesday, July 8, 2025
Time: 7:40 PM ET
Venue: Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, MO
Broadcast: ATTP, Bally Sports Kansas City, MLB.TV
Streaming: FuboTV, MLB.TV (regional restrictions apply)
Game Overview
The Kansas City Royals look to build on their dominant 9–3 win in the series opener as they host the Pittsburgh Pirates in Game 2 of a three-game set. The Royals have won four of their last five, while the Pirates are trying to snap a four-game losing streak and recover from a brutal road trip that included a sweep in Seattle.
This is the second meeting of the season between the two clubs, with Kansas City now leading the season series 1–0.
Starting Pitchers
| Team | Pitcher | Record | ERA | WHIP | K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pirates | Mitch Keller (RHP) | 3–10 | 3.64 | 1.19 | 84 |
| Royals | Seth Lugo (RHP) | 6–5 | 2.65 | 1.09 | 83 |
- Keller is coming off a strong outing (7 IP, 0 ER, 7 K) and has quietly been one of Pittsburgh’s most reliable arms despite the poor win-loss record.
- Lugo has been a rock in Kansas City’s rotation, boasting a sub-3.00 ERA and nine quality starts this season.
Key Players to Watch
Pittsburgh Pirates
- Oneil Cruz: 15 HR, .465 SLG – Showing signs of heating up with 14 H+R+RBI in his last 8 games
- Tommy Pham: 3 HR in last 10 games – Snapped the Pirates’ 30-inning scoreless streak with a 2-run blast Monday
- Bryan Reynolds: .229 AVG, 10 HR, 45 RBI – Leads team in RBI and ISO vs. left-handed pitching
Kansas City Royals
- Bobby Witt Jr.: .296 AVG, 13 HR, 30 doubles – Riding an 11-game hit streak, hitting .416 over that span
- Salvador Perez: 11 HR – Homered in back-to-back games, 9-for-28 (.321) in July
- Vinnie Pasquantino: .271 AVG, 15 HR, 56 RBI – 4 HR in last 10 games
Team Stats & Trends
| Category | Pirates | Royals |
|---|---|---|
| Record | 38–54 (5th NL Central) | 44–48 (2nd AL Central) |
| Last 10 Games | 6–4 | 6–4 |
| Team ERA | 3.68 (7th in MLB) | 3.47 (4th in MLB) |
| Batting Avg | .230 | .244 |
| Home Runs | 61 (30th) | 63 (29th) |
| Road Record | 12–33 | 21–24 (Home) |
- The Pirates have scored just 3 runs over their last 4 games.
- The Royals are 31–10 when they out-hit their opponents.
- Kansas City’s bullpen ranks 6th in MLB with a 3.54 ERA.
Game Odds
Pittsburgh Pirates 8
Kansas City Royals – 141
Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Monday, July 7, 2025
