Kansas City Royals (8-15, fourth in the AL Central) vs. Baltimore Orioles (10-15, fourth in the AL East)
Baltimore; Friday, 7:05 p.m. EDT
PITCHING PROBABLES: Royals: Carlos Hernandez (0-1, 6.00 ERA, 1.89 WHIP, eight strikeouts); Orioles: Jordan Lyles (2-1, 2.95 ERA, 1.59 WHIP, 18 strikeouts)
LINE: Orioles -119, Royals +100; over/under is 8 runs
BOTTOM LINE: The Baltimore Orioles host the Kansas City Royals on Friday to begin a three-game series.
Baltimore is 10-15 overall and 7-6 at home. The Orioles have a 6-2 record in games when they scored five or more runs.
Kansas City is 8-15 overall and 6-9 in home games. The Royals have gone 3-7 in games when they record eight or more hits.
The matchup Friday is the first meeting this season between the two clubs.
TOP PERFORMERS: Austin Hays ranks third on the Orioles with a .286 batting average, and has seven doubles, two home runs, nine walks and nine RBI. Cedric Mullins is 13-for-41 with two home runs and three RBI over the last 10 games.
Salvador Perez leads Kansas City with five home runs while slugging .378. Bobby Witt Jr. is 10-for-34 with a home run and three RBI over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Orioles: 4-6, .253 batting average, 4.09 ERA, outscored by five runs
Royals: 3-7, .221 batting average, 4.30 ERA, outscored by 16 runs
INJURIES: Orioles: Alexander Wells: 10-Day IL (elbow), Chris Ellis: 10-Day IL (shoulder), John Means: 60-Day IL (elbow), Dean Kremer: 10-Day IL (oblique)
Royals: Carlos Santana: 10-Day IL (ankle), Cam Gallagher: 10-Day IL (hamstring), Jake Brentz: 10-Day IL (flexor), Adalberto Mondesi: 10-Day IL (knee), Tyler Zuber: 60-Day IL (shoulder)
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