The Kansas City Royals are in the midst of a dramatic push to secure a playoff berth, a feat they have not achieved since their World Series triumph in 2015. Following a stellar performance that saw them defeat the Cleveland Guardians on August 27, the Royals found themselves tied for first place in their division.
At that juncture, the Royals appeared poised for a postseason run with a 6 1/2 game cushion in a playoff spot and just over a month remaining in the regular season. However, their fortunes have since taken a stark turn. Enduring two separate seven-game losing streaks, the Royals have managed a disappointing 7-16 record since that high point.
Currently, the Royals are in a tight race for the wild-card spots, tied with the Detroit Tigers and just one game ahead of the Minnesota Twins. The Twins and Tigers will both finish their seasons with six home games each, while the Royals face a challenging road ahead, set to play against the Washington Nationals and the Atlanta Braves away from home. Notably, the Royals' road performance this season has been mediocre, sitting at 37-38.
Despite their recent struggles, SportsLine still estimates the Royals' playoff chances at a hopeful 60.5%. The sharp decline in the Royals' batting since August 27 is evident, with averages plummeting to .206/.273/.317 and only 3.04 runs per game. This marks a significant drop from their pre-August 27 performance of .258/.314/.425 and 4.88 runs per game.
Injury woes have also plagued the team, with Vinnie Pasquantino sidelined, leaving a heavy burden on the remaining roster. Bobby Witt Jr. stands out as the sole consistent performer, maintaining an above-average performance according to weighted Runs Created Plus (wRC+). From June 30 to August 27, Witt Jr. was on fire, posting an outstanding .416/.467/.774 slash line, with 17 doubles, three triples, 15 home runs, 41 RBIs, and 50 runs over 48 games. Over the last 23 games, he has still been solid, hitting .261/.340/.500.
Yuli Gurriel's scant 13 games and Lucas Erceg’s alarming decline provide further evidence of the Royals' recent troubles. Erceg, who boasted a 0.00 ERA, 0.49 WHIP, and 15 strikeouts against one walk in his first 11 outings, has struggled mightily since August 27, posting a 7.45 ERA and 1.55 WHIP, including two blown saves and three losses. The collective bullpen has mirrored this decline, recording a 4.33 ERA, seven bullpen losses, and four blown saves in the last 23 games.
The Royals' recent schedule has done them no favors, featuring 17 games against teams with winning records. A particularly demoralizing series sweep against the 77-79 San Francisco Giants further compounded their woes.
With a critical six-game road trip looming, the Royals are desperately seeking to cling to their playoff hopes. Nonetheless, as one unquoted source in the locker room succinctly remarked, "We had a tough schedule" and "we lost to a playoff contender" aren't valid excuses. The Royals will need to summon their best performances to navigate this final stretch and potentially rekindle the postseason magic that brought them glory in 2015.