The Kansas City Royals’ run through the postseason ended on Thursday night via a 3-1 loss to the New York Yankees at Kauffman Stadium.
The Royals earned a playoff berth via a second-place finish in the American League Central Division with an 86-76 record. That mark tied them with the Detroit Tigers a total of 6.5 games behind the division-winning Cleveland Guardians.
Kansas City entered the postseason as a wildcard team and the fifth seed in the American League. The Royals bested the No. 4-seeded Baltimore Orioles 2-0 in the first round of action, which is decided via a three-game series.
They captured just one victory against the Yankees, ultimately falling 3-1 in the five-game American League Division Series (ALDS). Kansas City lost both of its home games against New York to end what was something of a Cinderella run in 2024.
NFL megastar Patrick Mahomes, who plays quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs, issued a three-word message to his hometown MLB team following their ouster from the playoffs.
“Great season @Royals! ?,” Mahomes posted to X on October 10.
Kansas City’s division rivals, the No. 2-seeded Guardians and the No. 6-seeded Tigers, will play a decisive Game 5 in Cleveland on Saturday for the right to square off against the Yankees in the American League Championship Series (ALCS) for the right to play for a World Series ring later this month.
On the other side of the bracket, the Los Angeles Dodgers will host the San Diego Padres in a Game 5 on Friday night. The winner will move on to the National League Championship Series (NLCS) to face the New York Mets.