MLB Postseason: Breaking Down the AL Wild Card Chase

Kansas City Royals: 65-67

The Kansas City Royals have been almost as schizophrenic as one of my ex-girlfriends. Just when they appeared as though a return tot he postseason was possible, they have fallen off the pace.

It is hard to believe that just a month ago, the Royals were buyers. They brought back Melky Cabrera to solidify their lineup, and fortified the bullpen with Brandon Maurer and Ryan Buchter. Trevor Cahill was expected to solidify the back of the rotation, with the mistake that was the Travis Wood signing being sent elsewhere. The Royals were making one last run.

For as high as they were riding as the calendar flipped to August, the opposite has been the case this month. Kansas City has been a disaster, as they went 10-18 in August. They were absolutely destroyed by the Cleveland Indians, likely ending any hopes they entertained of winning the AL Central. Jason Vargas has become mortal, and Mike Moustakas has gone more than two weeks without a homer. The Royals have also been beset with injuries, leading to another miserable Eric Skoglund Experience.

And yet, despite their miserable performance this month, the Royals are just four games out of the Wild Card. Granted, they have quite a few teams to get past, but the Royals have defied the odds before. After all, both of their runs to the World Series involved improbable comebacks. Could this Royals team have one more in them?

The Kansas City Royals are still mathematically in the chase for the postseason. Realistically, they are in the dying days of their second run of relevance.