The baseball wagering menu sees a clash between Boston and Kansas City on Monday, with the host Red Sox trying to win for themselves and reward bettors who back them on the moneyline.

For the Red Sox, Jon Lester gets the ball, charged with keeping the Royals hitters off the base paths. He'll face Kyle Davies, 1-9 on the year.



View Kansas City vs Boston Odds and Stats.

Betting Line:
Sportsbooks had installed the Red Sox as -275 moneyline favorites in this particular MLB matchup. The total, meanwhile, was set early at 9 before betting started to move the line.

Power Rankings:
This game matches up the No. 2 (Red Sox) and the No. 10 (Royals) teams in their respective leagues, according to our current MLB Power Rankings.



How They Match Up:
Scoring stats point to some edges in this matchup. The game features Boston's American League No. 1-ranked scoring average of 5.5 runs per game, against a Royals offense rated No. 6 and scoring 4.3 runs per game in the league. The Red Sox have averaged 9.8 hits per game to date this season, more than the Royals hitters have managed (9.2 per nine innings).

Comparing defensive stats, Kansas City owns the American League's No. 13-rated road mark, allowing 5.2 runs per game on the highway. Boston, on the other hand, rates No. 2 in scoring at home.

Last time out for Kansas City, they were a 5-0 loser as they battled the Rays at home. Moneyline bettors who got the Rays at -108 were rewarded, while the 5 combined runs moved the game UNDER for totals bettors. Kansas City didn't plate a single run in their last outing, shut down by Alex Cobb in a losing cause, 5-0, against Tampa Bay on Sunday.

Boston won its last outing, a 12-8 result against the Mariners on July 24. Bettors who backed the Red Sox at -160 on the moneyline won on the day, and the total score (20) sent OVER bettors to the payout window. Boston looks to continue its winning ways following a victory last time out against the Mariners, a 12-8 final on Sunday in support of Tim Wakefield at Fenway Park.


Kansas City Royals Trends:
When playing on Monday are 5-5
Before playing Boston are 6-4
After playing Tampa Bay are 4-6
After a loss are 5-5

Boston Red Sox Trends:
When playing on Monday are 4-6
Before playing Kansas City are 4-6
After playing Seattle are 7-3
After a win are 8-2

A few Royals at Red Sox trends to consider:
Kansas City is 4-1 SU in its last 5 games
The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Kansas City's last 5 games on the road
The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Kansas City's last 9 games
Kansas City is 7-15 SU in its last 22 games when playing Boston
Boston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home
Boston is 7-1 SU in its last 8 games
Boston is 9-3 SU in its last 12 games when playing at home against Kansas City
The total has gone OVER in 16 of Boston's last 22 games at home


Next up:
Kansas City at Boston, Tuesday, July 26