Royals' weekend series with White Sox could hold major AL Wild Card ramifications

The Kansas City Royals enter an all American League Central division affair this weekend when the Chicago White Sox come to town for a three-game set.

The Royals are fresh off a series win against the Washington Nationals and will hope to take advantage of another in team in Chicago that's well out of the postseason picture.

Given the tight race that's on for AL Wild Card spots, Kansas City will look to capitalize on a favorable matchup against the worst team in the American League - and hope that fortune goes their way elsewhere in the league in regard to their opponents.

Royals have a major opportunity in front of them with the struggling White Sox

For team with postseason ambitions like the Royals, series like these - against teams in the midst of major rebuilds - are the ones you circle in your calendar as the ones to come in a take care of business.

They've had a few of those of late, with the Minnesota Twins last weekend and then the Washington Nationals this week, but you have to think they left some meat on the bone, going just 3-3 across those six seemingly winnable games.

The White Sox though seem to be at a whole different level of rebuild. They're 2-8 in their last 10 games, their offense sits in the bottom five in baseball in wRC+, OPS, runs scores and AVG and their starting staff ranks in the bottom 10 in ERA, FIP, WHIP. Their middle-of-the-road bullpen has been their "calling card" this season.

The first time these two team met up was in the heart of the Royals' incredible 18 game stretch from the end of April until the middle of May when they went 16-2. Kansas City ended up executing the four-game sweep by outscoring them 19-4. The second time around, however, was not nearly as great, as the Royals lost the early June series on the road in the heart of their fall from grace after that immaculate winning stretch.

For the Royals sake, they will hope for results much more like the former to try and claw back some of their current four game deficit in the Wild Card chase, as they carry some real momentum into the weekend. After all, a poor Seth Lugo start on Wednesday was the only thing really holding them back from what would've been a well executed offensive series sweep against Washington otherwise.

Royals have the opponent advantage over their direct Wild Card competitors

Sitting four games back with two teams between them and the New York Yankees for that final AL Wild Card, the Royals were always going to need a bit of help if they were to climb their way up the standings. And this weekend might the weekend to do so, as they have the clear advantage opponent-wise.

The Texas Rangers, who sit directly above Kansas City by a half a game, have a tricky three-game road series against the best team in the American League in the Toronto Blue Jays.

Then, their division rivals in the Cleveland Guardians - who are three-and-a-half games up on the Royals - have three games against the Atlanta Braves. They may not be the same force as usual this season but still have plenty of star power to account for, including the return of Ronald Acuña Jr.

Lastly, there's those aforementioned Yankees, who visit the St. Louis Cardinals, who may have been somewhat conservative sellers at the trade deadline but still sit just 3.5 games back of the final spot in their respective league.

It's hard not to think that Royals aren't looking at the entire weekend landscape and thinking that there's a great opportunity to make some moves in their race to a second-consecutive postseason.