Sampson expected to start for Texas against Kansas City

Kansas City Royals (19-39, fifth in the AL Central) vs. Texas Rangers (29-27, second in the AL West)

Arlington, Texas; Sunday, 3 p.m. EDT

PITCHING PROBABLES: Royals: Brad Keller (3-6, 4.56 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 48 strikeouts) Rangers: Adrian Sampson (3-3, 4.53 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 35 strikeouts)

LINE: Rangers favored by 1 1/2 runs; over/under is 11 runs

BOTTOM LINE: The Kansas City Royals visit Globe Life Park in Arlington to take on the Texas Rangers.

The Rangers are 19-9 in home games. Texas has slugged .459, good for fourth in the American League. Joey Gallo leads the team with a .653 slugging percentage, including 29 extra-base hits and 17 home runs.

The Royals are 8-22 on the road. The Kansas City pitching staff as a whole has an ERA of 5.22. Brad Keller leads the team with a 4.56 earned run average. The Rangers won the last meeting 6-2. Lance Lynn recorded his seventh victory and Gallo went 1-for-1 with a home run and two RBIs for Texas. Homer Bailey registered his sixth loss for Kansas City.

TOP PERFORMERS: Shin-Soo Choo leads the Rangers with 61 hits and is batting .300. Hunter Pence has 13 hits and is batting .000 over the last 10 games for Texas.

Jorge Soler leads the Royals with 14 home runs and is batting .237. Whit Merrifield is 15-for-43 with two doubles, a triple, a home run and six RBIs over the last 10 games for Kansas City.

LAST 10 GAMES: Rangers: 6-4, .234 batting average, 3.90 ERA, outscored opponents by 10 runs

Royals: 3-7, .252 batting average, 4.80 ERA, outscored by seven runs

Rangers Injuries: Edinson Volquez: 60-day IL (elbow), Yohander Mendez: 60-day IL (elbow), Taylor Hearn: 10-day IL (elbow), Luke Farrell: 60-day IL (jaw), Scott Heineman: 60-day IL (shoulder), Joey Gallo: day-to-day (oblique), Willie Calhoun: 10-day IL (quad).

Royals Injuries: Trevor Oaks: 60-day IL (hip), Jesse Hahn: 60-day IL (elbow), Lucas Duda: 10-day IL (lumbar strain), Hunter Dozier: day-to-day (chest), Salvador Perez: 60-day IL (elbow), Martin Maldonado: day-to-day (arm).