Kansas City Royals: Third Postseason Picture Update

See You in 2018

Remarkably, these are the only three teams that are more than five games out of the last Wild Card spot.

The White Sox are well off the pace at 15.5 games back, but even the Athletics (10 games) and Tigers (9.5) aren’t miles behind the clump of teams ahead of them. They do have no shot at making the postseason, though.

Every fan still paying to see these teams play should be applauded. Maybe their loyalty will pay off in the next couple of seasons.

Chicago White Sox

Overall record (through Sunday): 47-74

Last week: 2-4

This week: Vs. Minnesota Twins (Mon.-Thu., includes doubleheader Monday from May 10 rainout); vs. Detroit Tigers (Fri.-Sun.)

The White Sox open this week with the ultra-rare five-game series. Already slated for a four-game set with Minnesota, a rainout from May 10 is forcing a Monday doubleheader.

The Twins will enter that series as arguably the hottest team in baseball. Chicago would have to consider itself lucky to win even two games in the series.

With Minnesota a game-and-a-half ahead of the Kansas City Royals, fans and players alike will be keeping close tabs on that series. Following that for Chicago will be a three-game set against Detroit—a series no one outside those two cities will closely follow.

Oakland Athletics

Overall record (through Sunday): 54-70

Last week: 2-4

This week: At Baltimore Orioles (Mon.-Wed.); off Thursday; vs. Texas Rangers (Fri.-Sun.)

Oakland played the role of spoiler early this week when it hosted the Kansas City Royals.

The A’s pulled off an incredible eighth-inning rally to stun the Royals on Tuesday and almost did it again on Wednesday. Tuesday’s come-from-behind win ended a modest three-game winning streak for Kansas City, but it hurt much more due to the manner of comeback.

Down 8-4 in the bottom of the eighth, the A’s erupted for six runs and earned a 10-8 win.

That offense did not make the trip to Houston over the weekend. Oakland only managed to win one of three games against Houston, despite not allowing the Astros to score more than three runs in a single game.

Detroit Tigers

Overall record (through Sunday): 54-69

Last week: 1-5

This week: Off Monday; vs. New York Yankees (Tue.-Thu.); at Chicago White Sox (Fri.-Sun.)

Justin Verlander showed he still has something left in the tank on Sunday. In what might have been an audition for the Houston Astros or other possible suitors, Verlander tossed eight innings of two-hit ball against the almost unbeatable Los Angeles Dodgers.

It was the only bright spot in a horrid week for Detroit. The Tigers got swept by the Rangers before losing the first two games against the Dodgers.

Detroit has a solid .500 mark in home games this season (30-30), but the Tigers are an abysmal 15 games below .500 on the road. This week they play three games at home and three on the road, so who knows what to expect.