Don’t look now, but things are really starting to click for the Kansas City Royals.
Sometimes, what a middling team needs to get rolling is a stretch against a couple of really bad teams. And after the Royals beat up on the Washington Nationals and Chicago White Sox last week, they kept the good vibes rolling on Monday night in a playoff-like atmosphere against the Texas Rangers.
The Royals beat the Rangers 4-3 at Kauffman Stadium, and closer Carlos Estévez delivered a clean ninth inning while nursing a one-run lead. Not only was it a big moment for Kansas City, which moved to 64-61 with its fourth straight win, but it was big for Estévez personally.
Carlos Estévez sets career-high in saves in Royals win over Rangers
The save was Estévez’s 32nd of the year, tops in the American League. It’s also a new career-best for the 32-year-old, who is in his ninth big-league season and pitching for his fourth team.
After delivering the save, though, Estévez kept the focus where it should be: on the Royals’ collective surge. Kansas City now sits only 3 1/2 games back of a playoff spot; the three wild card positions are tied up between the Seattle Mariners, New York Yankees, and Boston Red Sox. They’d also need to overtake the Cleveland Guardians, who are half a game ahead of them.
“We’re looking great, man,” Estévez said, per Anne Rogers of MLB.com. “It doesn’t matter who’s out there pitching or what’s going on. I feel like it’s never done for us right now.”
Estévez signed a two-year, $22 million contract with the Royals, which contains a 2027 club option. That’s looked like a great decision, as he’s brought stability to the back end of the bullpen. Especially given the struggles of Lucas Erceg, who was the closer down the stretch last year, Estévez has been a godsend.
With a 2.77 ERA in 55 1/3 innings, Estévez is only seven innings away from a new career-high. But the righty only seems to be getting stronger in the month of August, and the fact that the Royals are playing meaningful games can only help with motivation.
It’s going to take continued excellence from Estévez to make a comeback in the standings and get the Royals back to October for the second year in a row. But the veteran right-hander so far appears equal to the task.
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