:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/71212866/usa_today_18808951.0.jpg "Red Sox vs. Royals predictions: Picks, odds, live stream, TV channel on Friday, August 5")
The Boston Red Sox and Kansas City Royals square off on Friday with first pitch set for 8:10 p.m. ET. The game takes place at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri and will be available to watch on ESPN+. Josh Winckowski (4-5, 5.00 ERA) will start for the Red Sox with Zack Greinke (3-6, 4.41 ERA) on the mound for the Royals.
Boston (53-54) will look to avoid a third consecutive loss after dropping the first of a four-game set in Kansas City. Winckowski will make his 10th start in his first MLB season and is coming off an outing where he allowed two runs over five innings in a victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. The Red Sox rank seventh in batting average (.252), and Rafael Devers leads the team in home runs (23) and RBI (59).
Kansas City (42-64) will look for two in a row against the Red Sox on Friday night. Greinke will make his 18th start in his second stint with the Royals and gave up three runs over five innings in a win over the New York Yankees on Sunday. The Royals rank No. 27 in runs per game (3.8) and sold some of their top hitters at the deadline including Whit Merrifield, Andrew Benintendi and Emmanuel Rivera.
Red Sox vs. Royals
Pitchers: Josh Winckowski vs. Zack Greinke
First pitch: 8:10 p.m. ET
Red Sox local broadcast: NESN
Royals local broadcast: Bally Sports Kansas City
Live stream: WatchESPN, ESPN app with an ESPN+ subscription
Odds, picks & predictions
Run Line: Red Sox -1.5 (+105)
Run total: 9
Moneyline odds: Red Sox -145, Royals +125
Moneyline pick: Royals +125
Greinke is not what he once when he was among the best pitchers in the MLB during his career, but it's safe to say we can trust him over a 24-year-old rookie starter. The Royals put together a solid performance at the plate on Thursday night with 11 hits including two home runs.
Player prop pick: Josh Winckowski Under 3.5 strikeouts (-155)
The Red Sox starter has extremely low strikeout totals this season with a 5.6 K/9 through a nine-start sample size. Winckowski struck out one batter in each of his last two starts and will face a Royals lineup that strikes out 7.9 times per game, the eight-fewest in the MLB.