Once again, 16 contenders, but an easier schedule each time as it shifts to more non-contenders. Boston gets to play Baltimore, followed by Pittsburgh next week, and they have two more series against the A’s. That evenly balances out the tougher remaining series, including seven games against New York and three apiece against Toronto and Detroit.

Witt represents the new guard of multi-dimensional superstars. He finished runner-up to Aaron Judge for 2024 AL MVP and is a two-time all-star who won a Gold Glove last year. He has stolen at least 30 bases in each of his four MLB seasons while twice reaching 30 homers.

Preview the Aug. 20 matchup between the Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals with odds over/under, game spread, betting lines and more.

Kansas City is now 7-1 in the past eight games, while Texas trends in the opposite direction with a 1-6 record over the last seven and 2-10 record dating back a dozen games. The Royals are a perfect 5-0 versus the Rangers this season.

Royals right fielder Mike Yastrzemski matched a Major League Baseball record that was done by a Hall of Famer.

The Detroit Tigers get set for the second half of their six-game homestand this weekend, as they prepare to host the Kansas City Royals. You can see one of the best teams in the big leagues for a quality price.

The two-run shot in the eighth inning against Texas on Tuesday night merely padded the lead for Kansas City, which went on to a 5-2 victory. It was the fifth straight win for the Royals, who closed to within 2 1/2 games of an AL wild-card berth and are within nine games of the first-place Tigers in the AL Central.

KC is now riding a five-game winning streak. Vinnie Pasquantino led the offensive charge with a solo home run in the first inning. He later began a seventh-inning rally with a leadoff double just past Rangers center fielder Evan Carter’s outstretched glove.