5 ‘feel good’ things from the 2022 KC Royals season

2022 “Feel Good” No. 1: An epic KC Royals comeback closed the home season.

On Sept. 25, Kansas City’s final home date of the campaign, no one, but no one, could have reasonably anticipated what was about to happen when the club came to bat in the bottom of the sixth inning against Seattle.

A nine-run deficit, which is what the Royals faced with 12 offensive outs left, almost always deprives the team trailing of any chance to win.

Such turned out not to be the case for Kansas City.

Not only did the Royals bat around, but they sent 13 men to the plate. Rookie Michael Massey homered, singled and drove in four runs. Bobby Witt Jr. and Ryan O’Hearn both doubled. Drew Waters, Edward Olivares and Hunter Dozier all singled. Olivares, O’Hearn, Dozier, Salvador Perez and Vinnie Pasquantino walked.

By the time Seattle threw out Dozier, who was trying to stretch a single into a double, at second to end the carnage, the Royals had scored 11 times to take a 13-11 lead. Their bullpen held up from there for a 13-12 win.

The victory, hands down the club’s most exciting of the year, ultimately made little difference in Kansas City’s 65-97 last place record, but it sent the last home crowd of the season home happy.

The Royals didn’t have a good season. But they gave their fans some nice things to feel good about.