Kansas City Royals: Third Postseason Picture Update

AL East leader

Boston Red Sox

Overall record (through Sunday): 71-52

Last week: 4-2

This week: At Cleveland (Mon.-Thu.); vs. Baltimore Orioles (Fri.-Sun.)

More from Kings of Kauffman

• KC Royals Rumors: Is a monster move in the cards?
• KC Royals Free Agent Hunt: 3 Tampa Bay pitchers
• Grading the 2022 KC Royals: The $25 million man
• KC Royals Winter Meetings Tracker: Expectations met
• KC Royals Winter Meetings Tracker: Day 3 update

After dropping a makeup game to Cleveland on Monday, Boston won four of five to close the week against St. Louis and the New York Yankees.

The Red Sox keep rolling right along thanks in large part to deadline addition Eduardo Nunez and top prospect Rafael Devers. It also doesn’t hurt that presumptive AL Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale calls Boston home.

At the moment, Boston looks as though it could chase down Houston for the top spot in the American League. In fact, home-field advantage through the ALCS could come down to the final day of the regular season.

Conveniently enough, the Red Sox and Houston play a four-game set in Boston to close out the year. Expect that series to mean something.

Despite holding just a five-game lead on the Yankees, it would be quite stunning for the Red Sox to lose out on the East Division crown. Aside from the aforementioned Houston series, this week’s series in Cleveland and a four-game set at New York starting Aug. 31, Boston has no other series against winning teams.

That’s right. Twelve series remaining and just three against teams that are currently above .500. Houston had better watch out, or it could be playing catchup in late September.