Rays at Royals
The Tampa Bay Rays remain the class of the American League East a month into the regular season and own the best record in the majors. The Rays will try to keep rolling when they continue their nine-game road trip by visiting the Kansas City Royals for the opener of a four-game set on Monday.
The Rays swept a rain-shortened two-game series against Boston over the weekend, holding the Red Sox to a total of three runs in another solid series for Tampa Bay pitching. The Rays, who took two of three from the Royals at home last week, lead the majors with a 2.95 team ERA and 270 strikeouts and are limiting opponents to a .217 batting average. Kansas City owns the worst record in the AL and is closer to the bottom in team ERA at 5.30 after dropping seven of the last nine contests and yielding at least five runs in each of the seven setbacks. Right-hander Brad Keller will try to change the fortunes of the Royals' pitching staff when he starts against Tampa Bay righty Ryne Stanek.
TV: 8:15 p.m. ET, FS Sun (Tampa Bay), FS Kansas City
PITCHING MACHUP: Rays RH Ryne Stanek (0-0, 1.32 ERA) vs. Royals RH Brad Keller (2-2, 3.41)
Stanek is making his seventh start among 12 appearances and has yet to allow a run over 9 1/3 innings in that role. The 27-year-old owns 11 strikeouts while walking one and scattering three hits as an "opener" and yielded one hit in 1 1/3 frames while starting against Kansas City on Tuesday. Stanek recorded all four of his outs against the Royals on fly balls.
Keller is back after serving a five-game suspension for throwing at White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson and is trying to bounce back after suffering through his worst start of the young season. Keller was ripped for five runs on seven hits and three walks in 6 1/3 innings at Tampa Bay last Monday. The 23-year-old owns 29 strikeouts and 20 walks in 37 total innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Royals CF Billy Hamilton (hamstring) sat out Sunday and is day-to-day.
2. Tampa Bay 3B Yandy Diaz drove in seven runs in the last five games.
3. Kansas City RHP Ben Lively made his season debut on Sunday and allowed three runs on as many hits in one inning.