Inside the AL playoff race: Royals will start a crucial stretch of games this week
The Royals will open a six-game homestand Monday when the Los Angeles Angels come to Kauffman Stadium.
After a three-game set with the Halos, the Royals will hit their toughest stretch of games this season. Here is who KC will face starting Friday.
Aug. 23-25: vs. Philadelphia Phillies
Aug. 26-29: at Cleveland Guardians (four games)
Aug. 29-Sept. 1: at Houston Astros
Sept. 2-4: vs. Cleveland Guardians
Sept. 6-8: vs. Minnesota Twins
Sept. 9-11: at New York Yankees
That’s a 20-game stretch against teams that are currently holding a playoff spot, including 16 versus division leaders. If the Royals make the playoffs, they may look back at those 20 games as being pivotal to their success.
The AL Central race tightened up over the past week and the Royals strengthened their hold on a wild-card spot.
Here is a closer look at the American League Central and AL Wild Card races (playoff chances are from Baseball Prospectus).
ROYALS
Record: 69-55
Last 10 games: 6-4
Games back in division race: 3 (Third in AL Central)
Percentage chance of being a wild card: 55.4%
Percentage chance of winning AL Central: 7.9%
This week’s games: vs. Angels (Monday to Wednesday), vs. Phillies (Friday to Sunday)
Stat of note: The Royals outscored the Reds 28-3 over the weekend. The plus-25 run differential was the second-best for a three-game series in team history, per Nick Kappel, the team’s director of media relations. The record is 27 (May 18-20, 1999 against the A’s).
MINNESOTA TWINS
Record: 70-54 (Second in AL Central)
Last 10 games: 6-4
Games back in division race: 2
Percentage chance of being a wild card: 57.5%
Percentage chance of winning AL Central: 33.5%
This week’s games: at Padres (Monday to Wednesday), vs. Cardinals (Friday to Sunday)
Stat of note: Minnesota has a losing record in interleague play (14-17) this season
CLEVELAND GUARDIANS
Record: 72-52 (First in the AL Central)
Last 10 games: 5-5
Percentage chance of being a wild card: 37.8%
Percentage chance of winning AL Central: 58.6%
This week’s games: at Yankees (Tuesday to Thursday), vs. Rangers (Friday to Sunday)
Stat of note: The Guardians have a losing record since the start of July (20-22)
SEATTLE MARINERS
Record: 64-61
Last 10 games: 5-5
Games back in wild-card race: 5 1/2
Percentage chance of being a wild card: 8.4%
This week’s games: at Dodgers (Monday to Wednesday), vs. Giants (Friday to Sunday)
Stat of note: The Mariners ended a five-game losing streak Sunday with a 10-3 win at Pittsburgh. MLB.com noted Seattle batted .139 during that five-game skid but went 13-for-39 (.333) Sunday.
BOSTON RED SOX
Record: 65-68
Last 10 games: 4-6
Games back in wild-card race: 3 1/2
Percentage chance of being a wild card: 36.4%
This week’s games: at Astros (Monday to Wednesday), vs. Diamondbacks (Friday to Sunday)
Stat of note: First baseman Triston Casas returned from a rib injury that kept him out four months and batted .385 (5 for 13) in three games over the weekend, MLB.com noted
TAMPA BAY RAYS
Record: 62-61
Last 10 games: 5-5
Games back in wild-card race: 6 1/2
Percentage chance of being a wild card: 2.2%
This week’s games: at A’s (Monday to Thursday), at Dodgers (Friday to Sunday)
Stat of note: The Rays have scored the third-fewest runs in baseball (483).
This story was originally published August 19, 2024 at 10:01 AM.
