Could Alleged 'Fatal Flaw' Doom Royals' 2024 World Series Chances?
The Kansas City Royals have defied expectations all season to put themselves in playoff position.
Now, can they actually succeed once they get there?
The Royals have a lot of things going for them: a transcendent superstar in Bobby WItt Jr., a deep and sturdy starting pitching rotation, and an identity of team speed and defense that hearkens back to the 2015 World Series champion Royals, just to name a few.
However, the Royals also have one major issue as a club, and one Major League Baseball writer believes it could be their undoing.
On Thursday, Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller listed the "fatal flaw" for each MLB playoff contender, and didn't mince words about Kansas City's bullpen in the process.
"Carrying a shaky bullpen into October is traditionally much more of a death sentence than a blueprint to a World Series, and this Royals 'pen is about as shaky as it gets," Miller said. "Kansas City has gotten somewhat routinely shelled in the 7th-9th innings, with an ERA that ballooned to 4.72 with seven more earned runs allowed in Monday's loss to the Yankees."
The Royals have done their best to solidify the bullpen all season, exemplified by the offseason moves for Will Smith and John Schreiber, and the midseason trade for new closer Lucas Erceg. Unfortunately, their bullpen still isn't up to snuff with the rest of the American League's contenders.
On the plus side, Miller also said Bleacher Report identified the bullpen as the "fatal flaw" for the two teams that made the World Series last season, the Texas Rangers and Arizona Diamondbacks. So perhaps there's still reason for optimism.
If the Royals aren't able to overcome their shaky bullpen in October, they still have plenty of years left in Witt's prime to chase championship rings. But any baseball season is a valuable opportunity to win, and the Royals would hate to lose theirs on a blown lead in a playoff game.
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Jackson Roberts is a former Division III All-Region DH who now writes and talks about sports for a living. A Bay Area native and a graduate of Swarthmore College and the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Jackson makes his home in North Jersey. He grew up rooting for the Red Sox, Patriots, and Warriors, and he recently added the Devils to his sports fandom mosaic. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding "Kansas City Royals On SI," please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org