The Kansas City Royals are in a heated race to clinch a postseason berth as the Major League Baseball season nears its end. Following a decisive victory over the Cleveland Guardians on August 27, the Royals tied for first place in their division. With a comfortable 6 1/2 game cushion in a playoff spot and a bit over a month remaining in the season, optimism was high. However, the path since then has been fraught with challenges.
Struggles Begin
The Royals have endured an alarming downturn, marked by two separate seven-game losing streaks that resulted in a 7-16 record. These struggles have placed them in a precarious position, tying them with the Detroit Tigers for the second and third wild-card spots. The Minnesota Twins lurk just a game behind, adding to the intensity of the playoff push. To compound matters, the Royals must navigate a difficult six-game road trip to face the Washington Nationals and the Atlanta Braves, carrying a 37-38 road record into these critical matchups.
Offensive Decline
Since August 27, Kansas City's offensive productivity has taken a significant hit. The team's batting line dropped to .206/.273/.317, averaging just 3.04 runs per game. This dip in performance is stark compared to their pre-August 27 numbers, when they hit .258/.314/.425 and averaged 4.88 runs per game.
Adding to their woes, Vinnie Pasquantino has been sidelined by injury, leaving the team without one of its key hitters. Bobby Witt Jr. has been the lone bright spot, maintaining an above-average performance in weighted Runs Created Plus (wRC+). From June 30 to August 27, Witt posted an impressive .416/.467/.774 slash line, amassing 17 doubles, three triples, 15 home runs, 41 RBIs, and 50 runs in just 48 games. However, even Witt's numbers have moderated, hitting .261/.340/.500 in the last 23 games.
Pitching Woes
The Royals' bullpen has also faltered over this period. Lucas Erceg, who was previously stellar with a 0.00 ERA and 0.49 WHIP in his first 11 outings, has struggled since August 27. His ERA has ballooned to 7.45, and his WHIP to 1.55. Erceg has blown two saves and taken on three losses during this slump. The collective bullpen has a 4.33 ERA, with seven bullpen losses and four blown saves in the last 23 games.
Facing teams with winning records in 17 of their last 23 contests, the Royals' schedule has been undeniably tough. Adding salt to the wound, they were swept in their series against the 77-79 San Francisco Giants, further impacting their playoff hopes.
Looking Ahead
The road ahead for the Royals is challenging, with their remaining games all being away matchups. It's a critical juncture for Kansas City as they aim for their first postseason appearance since their World Series title win in 2015. SportsLine currently pegs their chances at making the playoffs at 60.5%, but the team must overcome both on-field struggles and tough opponents to make this a reality.
A comment from an unnamed source within the team sums up the sentiment accurately: "We had a tough schedule" and "we lost to a playoff contender" aren't valid excuses. The Royals need to find a way to turn their fortunes around if they hope to clinch a coveted playoff spot and reinvigorate their postseason aspirations.