The Royals are down to the final week, but they still have a chance to make plenty of noise.
Kansas City was officially eliminated from playoff contention last week, and the numbers only confirmed what had been obvious for a while. The Royals never really got into the race this season, and even the usual wide-open nature of the American League couldn’t keep them afloat.
What they can do now is complicate things for the teams still fighting at the top of the AL Central. The Guardians and White Sox are battling for the division title, and the Royals get both of them at Kauffman Stadium this week.
“I’m looking forward to playing these guys this week,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro told reporters Sunday after KC’s 4-3 loss to the Pirates. “We can have something to say about who wins the division, who goes to the playoffs, and I’m looking forward to competing.”
Kansas City’s final six games are all at home, with every matchup available on the MLB app as well.
The White Sox come in first for a three-game set: Tuesday at 6:40 p.m. on Royals.TV and 96.5 The Fan
Wednesday at 6:40 p.m. on Royals.TV and 96.5 The Fan Thursday at 1:10 p.m. on Royals.TV and 96.5 The Fan
Then the Guardians arrive for the season’s last three games: Friday at 6:40 p.m. on Royals.TV and 96.5 The Fan
Saturday at 6:10 p.m. on Royals.TV and 96.5 The Fan Sunday at 2:10 p.m. on Royals.TV and KFNZ 610 AM
In Other News...
Royals Farm System Just Delivered A Finish Fans Needed To See
The Royals minor league pipeline closed the 2026 season on two very different notes. At Triple-A, the Omaha Storm Chasers limped to the finish with a string of losses, even as the level served as a stop for several rehab outings from Connor Seabold, Tony Gonsolin and John Means. But down in the lower levels, the organization got the kind of ending it has been building toward, with Quad Cities turning its postseason run into a sweep of the Midwest League championship series.
For a farm system that has been under the microscope as Kansas City tries to keep pushing its competitive window forward, the River Bandits title mattered. David Shields and Blake Mitchell were among the players who helped carry that run, giving the Royals a reminder that development can still come with a winners badge attached. The organization also announced its 2026 minor league award winners, another small but useful snapshot of which prospects and affiliates made the biggest impact across the system. [Read more 🡒]
Royals Fans Have A New Stock Up Stock Down Debate
A rough week only sharpened the conversation around the Royals, who went 1-5 with the lone bright spot coming against the Astros. Daniel Lynch IV gave Kansas City exactly what it needed in that win, working five scoreless innings, while Vinnie Pasquantino and Nick Loftin helped provide some life on offense in an otherwise uneven stretch.
The debate now is where to draw the line between a needed reset and a temporary slump, because not every performance landed the same way. Nate Pearson, Maikel Garcia and Kyle Isbel all had stretches they would like to forget, and with the club searching for steadier production, the stock up, stock down discussion feels more relevant than ever. [Read more 🡒]
Royals Have One Last Chance To Ruin A Contenders October Push
The Royals are back home for a six-game stretch that starts with the White Sox and then brings in the Guardians, and both visitors still have something real to play for as the season winds down. For Kansas City, that makes this homestand feel like more than just a late-September schedule filler. It is a chance to measure itself against teams chasing October while also giving fans one more look at a few familiar names who have helped shape the year.
The first three games against Chicago come with the usual matchup details, but the broader interest is in how the Royals handle a pair of contenders trying to survive the final week. Vinnie Pasquantino and Bobby Witt Jr. have both shown encouraging recent form, while Seth Lugo and Randy Dobnak are set for their final starts of the season. The ending for those two is already known, but the way Kansas City plays out these last home games could still leave a mark on the race for others. [Read more 🡒]