Game 31 Preview: Kansas City Royals vs. Tampa Bay Rays

Another day, another try. The KC Royals will look to finally get a run against the Tampa Bay Rays in the first of four games at the Trop.

Time: 6.10 CT

TV: FSKC

Radio: KCSP

Online: MLB.TV

Rays FanSided Blog: Rays Colored Glasses

Pitching Matchup

RHP Nate Karns (1-2, 4.97 ERA, 1.21 WHIP) vs. LHP Blake Snell (0-2, 3.45 ERA, 1.53 WHIP)

Preview

After an uninspiring one hit performance against the Cleveland Indians on Sunday, the KC Royals offense are in need of some fire power in the bats. They will give a try this time in St. Petersburg at the low-attended Tropicana Field. Toeing the slab for the KC Royals will be the up and down Nate Karns. Opposing him will be lefty Blake Snell.

The KC Royals are coming off a series in which they gave up only five runs, but lost 2 of 3. In other words, the pitching has been fantastic, the bats, not so much.

The Tampa Bay Rays are coming off a home series that lost 2 of 3 to the Toronto Blue Jays. They had a 2-1 lose that came down to the final batter Sunday afternoon.

More from Kings of Kauffman

• KC Royals Free Agent Hunt: Look to Texas for help?
• KC Royals Hot Stove News: Trades, signings, more
• KC Royals Trades: How the midsummer deals worked out
• KC Royals: A player the club shouldn’t want to lose
• KC Royals News: Coach search, Nicky Lopez, old friend

Nate Karns will be unlucky pitcher the time, starting for the sixth time this year. He will be pitching in a place that he is very familiar with. Karns spent 2013-2014 with the Rays, appearing in 29 games. He even saw the best season of his career, posting a 3.67 ERA in 147 innings.

One thing that has been noticeable about Karns this year in his usage between his secondary offerings. His main goal this year was to get his changeup going, which he has. He has noticeably thrown it more this year, along with throwing his curveball less.

This should be a tough matchup for Karns, as the Rays are the 2nd best changeup hitting team, according to Fangraphs.

As for who the KC Royals are facing, they should see their fair amount of offspeed stuff with southpaw Blake Snell. Snell features four pitches, a fastball, curveball, changeup, and slider. He can mix these pitches up well.

His money pitch is his curveball. But he does have trouble commanding it. Snell, known for his lack of command, has posted 6.03 BB/9.

He’ll have some leniency though, pitching to a lineup that is 27th in the majors in BB%.

KC Royals: Reviewing the Luck with XStats

The KC Royals will have to be patient against this wild pitcher if they wan’t to get the offense going tonight.