Tampa Bay Rays Starter Jake Odorizzi Out to Silence Kansas City Royals Bats in MLB Contest

The Tampa Bay Rays battle the visiting Kansas City Royals on Thursday in MLB betting odds action at Tropicana Field.

The match puts starter Jason Vargas for the Kansas City Royals on the hill facing Jake Odorizzi for the Tampa Bay Rays. Vargas brings a 4-1 mark to the game, while Odorizzi is 2-1 to date on the season.

Sportsbook Odds & Computer Pick

Those betting on the visitors in this one found the Kansas City Royals listed as underdogs of 107 at most sportsbooks, including Sportsbook. Total bettors saw the number open in the area of 7.5, check for odds updates at Sportsbook.

Handicapping models based on recent betting stats and prediction formulas pick a 5.2-3.2 win for the Rays. View the computer score prediction and who will win the pick on the moneyline for all upcoming MLB matchups here.

Kansas City Royals vs Tampa Bay Rays Matchup

Team Betting Records & Power Rankings

17-19 Tampa Bay battles the Royals, currently with a 12-21 mark. Stay Informed: follow us on Twitter for odds specials, betting line moves and Tampa Bay vs Kansas City injuries news.

The Tampa Bay Rays sit at No. 10 in the current MLB power poll here at Odds Shark, while the Kansas City Royals sit at No. 29 on the same chart.

Statistical Matchup

Rating these teams in several key categories is important for handicappers and Tampa Bay has baseball's No. 20-rated offensive output, at 8.25 hits per game. The Kansas City Royals average 7.15 hits per game, good for No. 30 on the list.

Defensively, Kansas City features the No. 27-rated defense on the road, allowing 5.75 runs per game. Tampa Bay, meanwhile, comes in at No. 9 at home, scoring 5.24 runs per game.