Royals legend has perfect response to flashback of historic KC playoff comeback

It's been 10 years since the Kansas City Royals made a historic comeback against the Oakland Athletics to win the 2014 American League Wild Card Game, but for KC legend Eric Hosmer, the memory is a deeply cherished one.

On Monday, the Royals posted a clip on X to mark the decade-anniversary of the team's iconic Wild Card Game win, captioning the post "Ten years ago tonight." Hosmer, who made his MLB debut with the Royals in 2011 and established himself as a fan favorite in Kansas City before leaving for free agency after the 2017 season, quickly reposted the nostalgic video, adding a gif of NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo wiping tears from his eyes when accepting his 2019 MVP Award.

What happened in the KC Royals' 2014 comeback Wild Card Game?

When the Royals secured a spot in the 2014 Wild Card game, it marked not only an impressive comeback after a shaky start to the regular season, but the team's first playoff appearance since 1985. Managed by Ned Yost, the Royals ended the regular season with 89 wins — the most the team had recorded since 1989 — and this one playoff game at home against the Athletics was all that stood between them and the AL Division Series.

In the top of the first inning, a two-run homer from Brandon Moss put the Athletics on the board early, but the Royals immediately halved the lead with an RBI from Billy Butler. The Royals broke ahead in the third inning with two more RBIs off Lorenzo Cain and Hosmer to put the score at 3-2, and they held onto that lead through scoreless fourth and fifth innings.

Disaster struck for the Royals in the sixth inning.

With the Athletics' Sam Fuld and Josh Donaldson on base, Moss smashed his second homer of the game to put Oakland in front, 5-3. Minutes later, Derek Norris and Coco Crisp drove in two more runs, and when the top of the sixth inning finally ended, the Royals were trailing the Athletics, 7-3.

The Royals failed to respond in the sixth or seventh innings, but once they reached the eighth, the comeback was in motion. Alcides Escobar hit a single to get on base, promptly stole second, and a hit by Cain was enough to drive him home. Next, Cain stole second base himself, Hosmer was walked, and Billy Butler batted in Cain. Hosmer then managed to score on a wild pitch, narrowing the Athletics' lead to 7-6 by the end of the eighth inning.

KC closer Greg Holland took to the mound for the top of the ninth and managed to keep the Athletics' offense from doing any more damage, but w just the bottom of the ninth left in the game, the Royals still had a one-run deficit to make up.

To start, pinch-hitter Josh Willingham got on base with a single, and pinch-runner Jarrod Dyson took his place. A bunt from Escobar moved Dyson to second, and with Nori Aoki at the plate, he stole third. A sacrifice fly from Aoki drove Dyson home, tying the game, 7-7, and forcing extra innings.

While the tenth and eleventh innings weren't without their excitement, it wasn't until the top of the twelfth that the Athletics managed to pull ahead, 8-7, leaving the Royals with one last chance to answer or be eliminated.

Fortunately, answer they did.

Hosmer's hit into left field was enough to get him around to third base, and a single off Christian Colon drove him home, once again tying the game. With Salvador Pérez at the plate, Colon stole second, and Pérez's single down the line to left field drove him home, ending it all.

Just like that, the Royals had won the 2014 Wild Card Game, marking one of the most exciting and memorable postseason comebacks in MLB history.

Where is ex-KC Royals star Eric Hosmer now?

Hosmer entered free agency at the end of the 2017 season, marking the end of his time in a Royals jersey. On February 19, 2018, the first baseman signed an eight-year, $144 million deal with the San Diego Padres, the largest contract in the team's history at the time, and on August 2, 2022, he was traded to the Boston Red Sox alongside two minor-league players in exchange for minor-league pitcher Jay Groome.

Unfortunately, low back inflammation meant Hosmer only appeared in 14 games for the Red Sox in 2022, and at the end of the season, he was designated for assignment and eventually released on December 22. Hosmer went on to sign a one-year, $720,000 contract with the Chicago Cubs before the 2023 season, but he was again designated for assignment and released on May 25.

On February 21, 2024, Hosmer took to social media to announce his retirement from baseball, as well as announcing the launch of MoonBall Media, his new media company.

Speaking on Instagram of his decision to retire, Hosmer said "You have to be 110% committed and doing what is necessary both physically and mentally to play at the major league level and I reached a point where I wasn't there anymore. I'm very satisfied with my career. I feel like I accomplished a lot, was around a lot of great people and have a lot of good stories to tell."

The Royals' 2014 Wild Card comeback is undeniably one of those stories.