Kansas City Royals vs Boston Red Sox Picks and Prediction for Sunday, September 13, 2026

The Kansas City Royals visit the Boston Red Sox on Sunday at Fenway Park, with the opening pitch scheduled for 1:35 PM ET on MLB.TV. Kansas City is 66-82, fifth in the AL Central and 9.5 games behind Chicago. The Royals are nine games behind the third and final AL Wild Card position with 14 games remaining after beating Boston 3-2 Friday. Boston is 80-68, third in the AL East, 8.5 games behind Tampa Bay, and holds the second AL Wild Card position, six games ahead of the third and final spot with 14 games remaining. Win big with our free MLB picks.

Kansas City Royals Finding Better Results

Kansas City has won consecutive games and three of its last five, including Friday’s 3-2 victory at Fenway Park. The Royals are batting .247 with a .317 on-base percentage and .402 slugging percentage, producing 632 runs and 154 home runs. Bobby Witt Jr. has a .280 average, .360 on-base percentage, 141 hits, 84 runs and 39 stolen bases. Carter Jensen has 23 home runs and 70 RBI.

Jac Caglianone is batting .283 with a .494 slugging percentage, 23 homers and 70 RBI, while Michael Massey is hitting .280 with 11 home runs. Kansas City’s pitching staff has a 4.63 ERA and 1.39 WHIP, with opponents batting .258. The Royals have been much sharper defensively, ranking fourth in MLB with a .988 fielding percentage while committing 65 errors.

Injuries: Jac Caglianone is day-to-day. Maikel Garcia is on the 10-day IL. Tony Gonsolin is on the 15-day IL. Connor Seabold and James McArthur are on the 60-day IL.

Boston Red Sox Trying to Stop a Three-Game Slide

Boston has lost three straight after falling 3-2 to Kansas City on Friday. The Red Sox are batting .248 with a .322 on-base percentage and .404 slugging percentage, scoring 654 runs with 154 home runs. Wilyer Abreu has 24 homers, 72 RBI and a .338 on-base percentage. Ceddanne Rafaela leads Boston with a .282 average and 151 hits while adding 16 home runs and 17 stolen bases.

Willson Contreras has been Boston’s top power hitter with 26 home runs, 79 RBI and a .516 slugging percentage, although he is currently on the injured list. The Red Sox pitching staff owns a 3.62 ERA and 1.24 WHIP with a .243 opponent batting average. Boston has a .986 fielding percentage and has committed 75 errors, ranking 13th in MLB defensively.

Injuries: Willson Contreras and Ceddanne Rafaela are on the 10-day IL. Curtis Mead is on the 10-day IL, Tyron Guerrero is on the 15-day IL, and Tanner Houck is on the 60-day IL.

Pitching Matchup

Kansas City Royals - Noah Cameron

Noah Cameron is 9-8 with a 3.93 ERA and 1.20 WHIP across 160.1 innings. The left-hander has allowed 142 hits, 51 walks and 16 home runs while recording 145 strikeouts. Cameron has worked more innings than any other number listed in this matchup and has kept his WHIP at a solid level despite allowing 193 combined hits and walks.

Boston Red Sox - Payton Tolle

Payton Tolle is 9-6 with a 3.15 ERA and 1.08 WHIP through 137 innings. The left-hander has allowed 111 hits, 37 walks and 15 home runs while striking out 159. Tolle’s strikeout total stands out, and his 1.08 WHIP shows how well he has limited baserunners throughout his season.

Kansas City Royals vs Boston Red Sox Game Pick

• Boston Red Sox

Boston is the pick behind Tolle and the stronger overall pitching staff. Tolle owns a 3.15 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 159 strikeouts across 137 innings, while the Red Sox have a 3.62 team ERA. Kansas City has won two straight, including Friday’s series opener, but the Royals are only 27-46 away from home and have a 4.63 team ERA. Boston is missing important hitters, yet its pitching numbers remain considerably stronger. Tolle’s ability to limit baserunners makes Boston the play at Fenway Park.

Kansas City Royals vs Boston Red Sox Over/Under Pick

• Under

Under is the pick with two left-handers carrying solid individual numbers into Sunday. Tolle has held opponents to 111 hits across 137 innings while posting a 1.08 WHIP, and Cameron owns a 1.20 WHIP through 160.1 innings. Friday’s opener finished with only five combined runs, while Kansas City has scored five runs across its last two victories. Boston has scored seven runs during its three-game losing streak and has Contreras and Rafaela on the injured list. Another lower-scoring game is the likely outcome Sunday at Fenway.