Kansas City Royals (12-24, fifth in the AL Central) vs. Houston Astros (21-14, first in the AL West)
Houston; Tuesday, 8 p.m. EDT
PITCHING PROBABLES: Royals: Danny Duffy (0-1, 3.27 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 7 strikeouts) Astros: Collin McHugh (0-3, 4.97 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 39 strikeouts)
BOTTOM LINE: The Kansas City Royals travel to Minute Maid Park to face the Houston Astros.
The Astros are 11-3 in home games. Houston has hit 60 combined home runs this season, most in the American League. George Springer leads the club with 11 while slugging .584 with 19 extra-base hits.
The Royals are 4-13 in road games. The Kansas City pitching staff owns a combined team ERA of 5.05, Jakob Junis paces the staff with a mark of 5.52. The Astros won the last meeting 6-4. Gerrit Cole earned his third victory and Robinson Chirinos went 2-for-3 with a home run and two RBIs for Houston. Junis registered his third loss for Kansas City.
TOP PERFORMERS: Springer leads the Astros with 19 extra base hits and is batting .285. Michael Brantley is 15-for-43 with four doubles, two home runs and six RBIs over the last 10 games for Houston.
Hunter Dozier leads the Royals with nine home runs and is batting .348. Adalberto Mondesi is 12-for-41 with three doubles, two triples, two home runs and 11 RBIs over the last 10 games for Kansas City.
LAST 10 GAMES: Astros: 6-4, .271 batting average, 3.58 ERA, outscored opponents by 21 runs
Royals: 4-6, .257 batting average, 4.47 ERA, outscored opponents by nine runs
Astros Injuries: Joe Smith: 10-day IL (achilles), Lance McCullers Jr.: 10-day IL (elbow).
Royals Injuries: Trevor Oaks: 60-day IL (hip), Jesse Hahn: 60-day IL (elbow), Brian Flynn: 10-day IL (elbow), Lucas Duda: 10-day IL (lumbar strain), Salvador Perez: 60-day IL (elbow).
