The Boston Red Sox head on the road to take on the Kansas City Royals in game one of a three-game series Friday night at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. So let's check out our MLB odds series, which includes our Red Sox-Royals prediction and pick.

Boston (69-65) is all but out of the playoff race as they are 14.5 games back of the division-leading Baltimore Orioles and 6.5 games back for the last spot in the Wild Card race. There weren't many high expectations coming into this season for the Boston Red Sox but they still were able to exceed the low expectations that most analysts had for them coming into the season. They can at least right the ship with a plus matchup on the road when they take on the Kansas City Royals this evening.

Kansas City (41-94) is the second-worst team in all of the majors with 53 games under .500 and they are on pace to have over 100 losses on the season. Nothing has seemingly gone right for them since the beginning of the season, just lacking production everywhere from this lowly team. They now just have one win in their last 10 games and are looking to at least end the season on somewhat of a high note when the Boston Red Sox come to town this Friday evening.

Here are the Red Sox-Royals MLB odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

MLB Odds: Red Sox-Royals Odds

Boston Red Sox: -180

Kansas City Royals: +152

Over: 9.5 (-110)

Under: 9.5 (-110)

How To Watch Red Sox vs. Royals

TV: Bally Sports Kansas City, Bally Sports Midwest, Bally Sports Southwest, New England Sports Network

Stream: MLB.TV

Time: 8:10 PM ET/5:10 PM PT

*Watch MLB games LIVE with fuboTV (click for a free trial)*

Why The Red Sox Will Win

First and foremost, James Paxton is a formidable pitcher who has proven himself time and time again. With a career ERA of 3.99 and an impressive strikeout rate of 9.5 per nine innings, Paxton is a force to be reckoned with on the mound. In his last start against the Royals, Paxton pitched six innings, allowing only two runs and striking out six batters. With his impressive track record and recent success against the Royals, Paxton is sure to give the Red Sox a strong start.

In addition to Paxton's pitching, the Red Sox's offense is also a major factor in their potential success against the Royals. Led by sluggers like Rafael Devers and J.D. Martinez, the Red Sox have one of the most potent offenses in the league. With this kind of firepower, the Red Sox are capable of putting up big numbers against any team, including the Royals.

On the other hand, the Royals will be sending Jordan Lyles to the mound, who has struggled this season. With an ERA of 6.51 and, Lyles has had a difficult time keeping opposing batters at bay. In his last start against the Red Sox, Lyles gave up six runs in just four innings. While anything can happen in baseball, Lyles's recent struggles suggest that the Red Sox's offense could have a field day against him.

Why The Royals Will Win

While Jordan Lyles has had a difficult season overall, he has shown some signs of improvement in recent weeks. In fact, he earned his second consecutive win on August 4th against the Philadelphia Phillies. While he has struggled in his last four starts, Lyles has the potential to bounce back and put up a strong performance against the Red Sox.
While James Paxton is a talented pitcher, he has been inconsistent at times this season. In his last start against the Royals, he pitched six innings and allowed two runs, but he has also had some rough outings this year. If Paxton struggles again, the Royals could take advantage and put up some runs.

Final Red Sox-Royals Prediction & Pick

This is a battle of two teams that are at the bottom of the barrel in their respected divisions. With that said, the Red Sox have the much more complete team from top to bottom. James Paxton has had some early struggles this season but has picked up towards the latter portion of the season and should keep this Royals lineup in check for the majority of the game. As for the Royals, they send Jordan Lyles to the mound who has had a rough 2023 season and it doesn't get any easier as the Red Sox come to town. Ultimately, Red Sox should get after Lyles early while Paxton holds the subpar Royals lineup in check and get in the win column before season's end.

Final Red Sox-Royals Prediction & Pick: Boston Red Sox (-196), Over 9.5 Runs (-110)