MLB Standings 2014: Kansas City Royals Clinch 1st Playoff Berth Since 1985, End Longest Drought
The longest playoff drought in the four major sports is officially over.
The Kansas City Royals defeated the Chicago White Sox 3-1 on the road Friday to clinch their first postseason berth since 1985.
Yes, it's been that long.
The last time the franchise made the playoffs, they defeated the St. Louis Cardinals in a thrilling seven-game World Series.
Royals fans are hoping history will repeat itself.
This Royals team truly was unique. The Royals ranked dead last in home runs hit with just 94, less than half the amount of the Baltimore Orioles. Not a single player on the Royals roster has hit 20 home runs or has 75 runs batted in this season, but that didn't hold the team back.
The Royals are the first team in MLB history to make the playoffs after ranking last in home runs hit and walks in the regular season.
The Royals are currently 88-72, with just two games left to play. Their division nemesis, the Detroit Tigers, are 89-71 leading the American League Central. The Royals may have clinched a wild card, but they can still win the division. Both the Royals and Tigers have just two games left to play. The Royals will play their final two games against the White Sox in Chicago, while the Tigers will play the Minnesota Twins at home.
The Twins are one of the worst teams this season at just 69-91, so the Tigers should be able to take care of business.
Left-handed hitter Alex Gordon leads the Royals with 19 home runs and 74 runs batted in. Lorenzo Cain leads the Royals with a .304 batting average. The Royals have had timely hits, but it has been the pitching staff that has driven this team all season long.
This Royals rotation has four pitchers with double-digit victories this season: James Shields, Yordano Ventura, Jeremy Guthrie and Jason Vargas. As a team, the Royals pitching staff ranks fourth overall in earned runs against average in the American League.
The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Baltimore Orioles and Detroit Tigers currently lead their respective AL divisions. If the season were to end today, that would mean that the No. 4 seed Royals would face the No. 5 seed Oakland Athletics in a wild card playoff game. If such a game were to take place, it would be played in Kansas City at Kauffman Stadium, where the Royals have played since 1973.
The Oakland Athletics still have to stop the Seattle Mariners from taking over their playoff spot.
With the Royals now in the 2014 MLB playoffs, the longest active playoff drought belongs to the Toronto Blue Jays. The team hasn't made it to the postseason since 1993, when they defeated the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series.
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