The Kansas City Royals made a stunning turn around finishing this season with a 86-76 record —a 30 game reversal from last season's disappointing 56-106.
The team will make their first appearance in the Major League Baseball playoffs in nine years. As the second wild card team in the American League, the Royals will face off against the Orioles in Baltimore beginning Tuesday, Oct. 1.
If they win at least two of those games, the Royals will advance to the Division Series against the New York Yankees, the American League leaders. That five-game series is set to start Saturday, Oct. 5.
Matt LaMar, editor of Royals Review from SB Nation, credits MVP hopeful Bobby Witt Jr. as one of the driving factors in the team's successful season.
"On the field, Bobby Witt is himself the difference between the Royals making the playoffs and the Royals missing the playoffs," LaMar told KCUR's Up To Date. "And he's the difference between the Royals being a playoff team, and the Royals having a losing record. Like he's that much of an impact just by himself."
LaMar added that key management decisions, including acquiring a competitive pitching staff, helped improve the team's standings and could warrant league honors for J.J. Picollo and Matt Quatraro.
LaMar said the Royals pitching staff is one of the best in franchise history, and the team has the potential to be a serious contender in the postseason.
"They all of the sudden have the arms, the really top arms, to make a deep, deep playoff run," LaMar said. "It just depends on if they can score enough runs against other pitchers, or other teams' top pitchers."
- Matt LaMar, editor, Royals Review from SB Nation
