Texas Rangers vs Kansas City Royals Prediction – 8/18/2025
The Kansas City Royals and Texas Rangers are both on the outside looking in when it comes to the AL Wild Card picture. But they are both within striking distance of a Wild Card spot. They will both be looking for a key victory on Monday night when the Royals host the Rangers at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City. Before that game starts, continue reading to get my analysis and my Rangers vs Royals prediction for the night.
Our Rangers vs Royals Pick
- Pick: Royals Moneyline
- Confidence: 4/5
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Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Kansas City Royals vs Texas Rangers
- Date & Time: Monday, August 18, 2025, 7:40 p.m. ET
- Starting Pitchers: Michael Wacha (Royals) vs Jack Leiter (Rangers)
- Stadium: Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, MO
- Broadcast: FDSKC and RSN
Key Storylines
Pitching matchup
Michael Wacha brings a 3.35 ERA into this start. He is not a high-volume strikeout pitcher but his efficiency and consistency should give the Royals the advantage on the mound. Jack Leiter has a 2.84 ERA in the month of August. But he has no wins to show for his solid pitching this month. A lack of run support has led to the Rangers losing all three of the games Leiter has started in August and both he and the Rangers will look to end that streak here.
Key Players
- Jonathan India hit a home run for the Royals in their win on Sunday and his contributions would be huge for the Royals to get in this game also.
- Marcus Semien hit a home run in his return to the Rangers’ lineup yesterday. If he comes back without missing a beat, it would be huge for the Rangers.
Recent team streaks
- The Royals enter this game on a three-game winning streak. They have won four of their last five games.
- Texas is 1-4 in their last five games. They did beat the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday to end their recent losing streak.
Best Player Props
| Player | Strikeouts |
|---|---|
| Mike Wacha | Over 4.5 |
| Jack Leiter | Under 4.5 |
Betting Trends & H2H
- The Royals have a 3-0 lead in their season series with the Rangers.
- Kansas City went 3-0 on the road against the Rangers in mid-June.
- The Royals outscored the Rangers 16-5 in that three-game sweep.
- Texas is 25-37 on the road in 2025.
- Kansas City is 33-29 at home for the year.
Rangers vs Royals Model Projection
Score Projection: Royals 5 – Rangers 3
Win Probability: Royals 52%, Rangers 48%
Final Thoughts
The Royals are playing better baseball than the Rangers of late. Kansas City has also proven that it can take care of business against the Rangers earlier this season. I expect Michael Wacha to deliver in this game for the Royals and for Kansas City to get its fourth win in a row by defeating the Texas Rangers on Monday night.
