Wasted Opportunities
After winning seven of nine, the Royals have lost three in a row. They're still in a great spot, but their hold on a playoff spot has a bit less grip.
The last three games have all been pretty different while somehow replaying the same game. It feels that way a lot when the offense is doing what it’s been doing lately, which is not cashing in on opportunities. When you lose close games for three straight games and spend those games with so many different opportunities to have made up that one run, it’s easy to feel like you’re watching the same game. Last night was different than Monday, though, which was decidedly different than Sunday. I’m telling you that as much to remind myself as I am to state it to the whole audience.
It wasn’t all bad last night, in spite of the result, so I’ll get to some good things along with why it’s still not time to worry too much about the hold on a playoff spot. But until then, consider the fact that the Royals had at least one runner on base in every one of the first six innings and they scored just once. In two straight innings, they had a leadoff single erased by a double play the very next batter. In another inning, they had the bases loaded with one out and a reliever coming in. Michael Massey swung at the first pitch and hit into a double play. The next inning, Tommy Pham hit a fastball in the middle third to right for the third out with the bases loaded and Bobby Witt Jr. on deck.