KC Royals: Can players hit key marks in final series?

The long season that began with an Opening Day win, found the KC Royals in first place in May, was derailed by 11 and eight-game losing streaks, and will conclude with the most Royal wins since 2017, winds up this weekend when Kansas City hosts Minnesota for 2021’s final three games.

As a team, the Royals will be out to avoid finishing last in the American League Central. At 73-86, they’re two games ahead of the last-place Twins.

And depending on the outcomes of the Friday and Saturday night games, and Sunday afternoon’s season finale, the Royals will end the year with 73, 74, 75, or 76 wins.

For individual Kansas City players, though, much is at stake. Rookies are working hard to leave good impressions on the club’s brass, others had disappointing campaigns and want to finish strong, and some seek to put good final caps on impressive season-long performances.

Records and milestones are within reach for some members of the KC Royals.

All eyes this weekend will be on several Kansas City players with chances to set records or establish good personal marks.

First and foremost among those players is, of course, Salvador Perez. Playing on the ankle he sprained in the dugout Wednesday, Perez went homerless Thursday night, meaning he has three games left to break the club’s individual home run record of 48. His 48 are also the majors’ best by two (Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has 46).

American League MVP candidate Perez’s big league RBI lead (121) looks secure. He has eight more than Chicago’s Jose Abreu.

Nicky Lopez, his bat all but dead when KC sent him to the minors on season’s eve, is on the cusp of hitting .300. He went 1-for-4 against Cleveland Thursday and heads into tonight’s series opener at .301.

Perez and Lopez aren’t the only KC Royals chasing important marks.

A good weekend will give a handful of KC Royals hurlers some good numbers.

Kansas City reliever Scott Barlow led the majors in appearances last season, but wasn’t the club’s closer. That role went first to Trevor Rosenthal, then to Greg Holland when the Royals traded Rosenthal to San Diego. But now, working in his fourth season with KC, Barlow is its undisputed closer, the pitcher Manager Mike Matheny relies on more than any other to save close wins.

Barlow comes into this weekend with 16 saves, a respectable number for a losing team. Getting to 20 is now impossible, but another save or two won’t hurt, especially if the Royals decide to shop him over the winter.

As his 2.92 ERA, .181 OBA, 10.0 SO9 and 1.07 WHIP in 63 games attest, Josh Staumont is, like Barlow, a key bullpen piece. He’ll want to keep his ERA below 3.00, but it could be close—if he pitches two innings and gives up an earned run in each, Staumont will finish at 3.10. So, pitching well will be good for the Royals and him.

What of the starters? Carlos Hernandez is done starting for the season, Angel Zerpa debuted Thursday night and won’t start again, and Brad Keller, Mike Minor, Brady Singer, and Daniel Lynch are on the Injured List. All that makes Kris Bubic, who pitched last Sunday, and rookies Jon Heasley and Jackson Kowar, this weekend’s likeliest starters. And although the club hadn’t listed its Saturday and Sunday starters as of late Thursday night, mlb.com’s Anne Rogers reports Heasley gets the call Friday night:

Heasley will be seeking his first big league win, as will Kowar if Matheny picks him for one of the other two starts.

And another Bubic start gives the second-year Royal a shot at a winning season—he’s 6-6.

The KC Royals begin their final series of the season tonight. Game time against Minnesota is set for 7:10 p.m. CDT at Kauffman Stadium; the teams meet Saturday evening at 6:10 p.m. CDT, then finish up Sunday at 2:10 p.m. CDT.