The final weekend of the season marks a sprint toward the playoffs for both the Atlanta Braves and Kansas City Royals.
However, only the Royals know where the finish line is.
The Royals will aim to clinch a playoff spot Friday night when they visit the Braves in the opener of a three-game interleague series between wild-card contenders.
Right-hander Brady Singer (9-12, 3.73 ERA) is slated to start for Kansas City against left-hander Max Fried (10-10, 3.42).
The Royals scored three runs in the ninth inning Thursday afternoon, when they completed a three-game sweep of the host Washington Nationals with a 7-4 victory. The Braves haven’t played since Tuesday, when they beat the visiting New York Mets 5-1 before Hurricane Helene forced the postponement of the final two games of the series.
The sweep steadied the Royals (85-74), whose win in the Tuesday series opener snapped their second seven-game losing streak in the last four weeks. Kansas City now is on the verge of returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2015.
The Royals and Detroit Tigers (85-74), who are tied for the last two American League wild-card spots, saw their magic numbers for clinching a berth reduced to one late Thursday night thanks to the Minnesota Twins’ 8-6, 13-inning loss to the Miami Marlins.
Minnesota (82-77) has the tiebreaker over both the Royals and Tigers by virtue of winning the season series.
“Made it tough on ourselves these last couple weeks,” the Royals’ Adam Frazier told Bally Sports Kansas City after he snapped the ninth-inning tie with a pinch-hit, two-run single. “Big to get three wins in here. We win a couple more in Atlanta and we’re right where we want to be.”
The consecutive rainouts left the Braves (86-71) in control of their own destiny. Atlanta is one game behind the Mets (87-70) and Arizona Diamondbacks (88-71), who are in a virtual tie for the final two National League wild-card spots.
If the Braves sweep the Royals, they would have a chance to clinch a playoff berth on Monday, when they are scheduled to host the Mets in a doubleheader. Atlanta leads the season series with New York 6-5 and would clinch the tiebreaker with one win in the twin bill.
The Braves also could clinch a berth before the doubleheader if they sweep the Royals and either the Mets or Diamondbacks are swept this weekend by the Milwaukee Brewers or San Diego Padres, respectively. There is a chance the doubleheader won’t be played if both wild-card berths already are secured.
The two NL wild-card series are scheduled to begin on Tuesday.
“It’s going to be different, that’s for sure,” said Braves manager Brian Snitker, who said his rotation the rest of the weekend would be determined by the potential impact of the games. “Going forward, we’re going to have to assess the situation in totality, I think, as far as the playoff ramifications.”
Singer lost his most recent start when he gave up six runs over 5 1/3 innings as the Royals fell 9-0 to the San Francisco Giants on Saturday. He is 0-4 with a 6.19 ERA in his past six starts.
Singer lost his lone appearance against the Braves on April 14, 2023, after surrendering eight runs over five innings in Atlanta’s 10-3 victory.
Fried earned a win on Saturday after allowing two runs (one earned) over six innings as the Braves beat the Marlins 6-2. He has never opposed the Royals.
–Field Level Media
