The Kansas City Royals' 2023 season has become one of peaks and valleys, and their current fight to secure a playoff spot epitomizes the unpredictability of baseball. After a commanding win over the Cleveland Guardians on August 27, the Royals found themselves sharing first place in their division. What seemed like the start of a triumphant march towards the postseason quickly transformed into a grueling struggle.
At the end of August, the Royals held a comfortable 6 1/2 game cushion in a playoff berth with little over a month remaining in the regular season. Since then, the path has been anything but smooth. The team has suffered through two separate seven-game losing streaks, which have led to a disappointing 7-16 record since their last high note. As the calendar inches closer to October, the Royals are now locked in a three-way tie with the Detroit Tigers and the Minnesota Twins fighting for the remaining two wild-card spots.
The looming schedule does not favor the Royals, as they prepare to face the Washington Nationals and the Atlanta Braves on the road. With a road record hovering just under .500 at 37-38, the challenge is substantial. Meanwhile, their direct competitors, the Twins and Tigers, will be enjoying the comforts of home-ground advantage, with each team set to play their remaining games at their respective stadiums.
Offensive Struggles
One of the most significant hurdles the Royals have faced is their lackluster offensive output since August 27. The team's batting line has plummeted to .206/.273/.317, resulting in an average of just 3.04 runs per game. This marks a stark contrast to their pre-August 27 performance, where they managed a more respectable .258/.314/.425 with an average of 4.88 runs per game.
The absence of Vinnie Pasquantino due to injury has certainly played a part in this decline. Compounding the Royals’ offensive woes, only Bobby Witt Jr. has managed to maintain an above-average performance by weighted Runs Created Plus (wRC+). Witt Jr.'s performance since June 30 has been nothing short of spectacular, with a slash line of .416/.467/.774, including 17 doubles, three triples, 15 home runs, 41 RBIs, and 50 runs in 48 games.
However, the slump has touched Witt Jr. as well. Over the last 23 games, even his production has dipped, falling to a more modest .261/.340/.500. Meanwhile, Yuli Gurriel's limited participation, appearing in just 13 games, has provided little additional support.
Pitching Inconsistencies
Pitching, another cornerstone of the Royals' earlier success, has seen its own share of turbulence. Lucas Erceg, who dazzled in his first 11 outings with a 0.00 ERA and 0.49 WHIP, tallying 15 strikeouts against a single walk, has experienced a dramatic fall from grace since late August. In a disheartening twist, Erceg's ERA has soared to 7.45, and his WHIP to 1.55, in addition to blowing two saves and taking three losses. The bullpen as a whole has posted a 4.33 ERA with seven losses and four blown saves in the last 23 games.
Facing teams with winning records in 17 of their last 23 contests has undeniably tested the Royals' mettle. To their dismay, they were swept by the San Francisco Giants, a team whose record stands at a middling 77-79. This next stretch of games, featuring a crucial road trip, will be crucial for the Royals as they aim to clinch their first playoff appearance since their triumphant World Series run in 2015.
As one tenant of professional sports journalism famously noted, "We had a tough schedule" and "we lost to a playoff contender" aren't valid excuses. For the Royals, it's now a matter of pushing past adversity and finding that spark before time runs out. With a 60.5% playoff chance according to SportsLine, the dream is still alive, but the window is closing rapidly.
The Royals' fate will be determined by their ability to rekindle the form that briefly had them as division co-leaders. The coming road trip against the Nationals and Braves represents not just a test of skill, but a measure of their resilience and unwavering pursuit of playoff glory.