Boston Red Sox (21-27, fourth in the AL East) vs. Kansas City Royals (20-29, fifth in the AL Central)

Kansas City, Missouri; Wednesday, 7:40 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Red Sox: Connelly Early (3-2, 3.21 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 45 strikeouts); Royals: Michael Wacha (4-2, 2.83 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 47 strikeouts)

LINE: Royals -120, Red Sox +100; over/under is 8 runs

BOTTOM LINE: The Kansas City Royals aim to break their three-game home losing streak with a win over the Boston Red Sox.

Kansas City has a 20-29 record overall and a 13-12 record at home. Royals pitchers have a collective 4.33 ERA, which ranks 10th in the AL.

Boston has gone 13-13 on the road and 21-27 overall. The Red Sox are 8-22 in games when they have allowed a home run.

Wednesday's game is the third time these teams square off this season.

TOP PERFORMERS: Bobby Witt Jr. has a .301 batting average to lead the Royals, and has 12 doubles, a triple and seven home runs. Maikel Garcia is 10 for 42 with three RBI over the past 10 games.

Wilyer Abreu leads the Red Sox with a .294 batting average, and has seven doubles, a triple, six home runs, 20 walks and 19 RBI. Ceddanne Rafaela is 12 for 35 with two home runs and five RBI over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Royals: 2-8, .223 batting average, 4.33 ERA, outscored by 14 runs

Red Sox: 5-5, .248 batting average, 2.12 ERA, outscored by one run

INJURIES: Royals: Kris Bubic: 15-Day IL (elbow), Matt Strahm: 15-Day IL (knee), Cole Ragans: 15-Day IL (elbow), Carlos Estevez: 15-Day IL (foot), Jonathan India: 10-Day IL (shoulder), James McArthur: 60-Day IL (elbow), Alec Marsh: 60-Day IL (shoulder)

Red Sox: Danny Coulombe: 15-Day IL (cervical spasms), Trevor Story: 10-Day IL (groin), Kutter Crawford: 15-Day IL (wrist), Garrett Crochet: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Roman Anthony: 10-Day IL (wrist), Patrick Sandoval: 60-Day IL (elbow), Triston Casas: 60-Day IL (knee), Johan Oviedo: 60-Day IL (elbow), Romy Gonzalez: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Tanner Houck: 60-Day IL (elbow)

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.