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Don’t look now, but things are really starting to click for the Kansas City Royals. <\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
The Royals beat the Rangers 4-3 at Kauffman Stadium, and closer Carlos Est\u00e9vez 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 Est\u00e9vez personally.<\/p>\n
The save was Est\u00e9vez’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.<\/p>\n
After delivering the save, though, Est\u00e9vez 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re looking great, man,\u201d Est\u00e9vez said, per Anne Rogers<\/a> of MLB.com. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter who\u2019s out there pitching or what\u2019s going on. I feel like it\u2019s never done for us right now.\u201d <\/p>\n Est\u00e9vez 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, Est\u00e9vez has been a godsend. <\/p>\n With a 2.77 ERA in 55 1\/3 innings, Est\u00e9vez 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. <\/p>\n It’s going to take continued excellence from Est\u00e9vez 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.<\/p>\n More MLB: <\/strong><\/em>Royals Facing Difficult Jac Caglianone Decision Amid Hot Streak<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n \n\t\t\t<\/div><\/div>\n