As MLB.com’s Sarah Langs identified, Witt is the second participant in Royals historical past to have a go-ahead hit within the sixth inning or later twice in the identical postseason, becoming a member of Amos Otis (1980).
So long as Witt continues to step up within the greatest moments, Kansas Metropolis has the potential to tug off one other upset in a David vs. Goliath ALDS matchup in opposition to the Yankees.
Orioles want to change issues up
There was loads of optimism surrounding the Orioles and their proficient younger core this season, although the Texas Rangers swept them within the 2023 ALDS. Nonetheless, following an much more disappointing postseason, it is clear that change is required for Baltimore.
Shortstop Gunnar Henderson and catcher Adley Rutschman — the centerpieces of the “Child Birds” — did not present up in opposition to Kansas Metropolis, ending a mixed 1-of-15 on the plate with six strikeouts. Whereas the 2 aren’t going anyplace this offseason, their struggles spotlight Baltimore’s flawed hitting strategy.
Within the sequence loss to the Royals, Baltimore struck out 22 instances, left 16 runners on base, and scored only one run, which, as talked about, was by way of the lengthy ball. Through the common season, Baltimore constructed its id by hitting dwelling runs. The staff’s 235 homers have been the second-most within the majors, trailing solely the Yankees.
Even so, the house run-or-bust strategy is not a dependable one, particularly within the postseason, the place pitching and situational hitting rule above all else. If the Orioles do not plan on slicing ties with supervisor Brandon Hyde, they desperately want to exchange co-hitting coaches Matt Borgschulte and Ryan Fuller and signal a number of contact hitters. If they do not, they’re solely going to proceed losing seasons with an reasonably priced core of place gamers.
Kansas Metropolis’s bullpen won’t be a weak hyperlink in spite of everything
The Royals bullpen was thought of the staff’s potential deadly flaw getting into the postseason. The unit posted a 4.13 ERA in the course of the common season, which ranked twentieth within the majors, and blew 23 save alternatives, the Thirteenth-most amongst groups.
Kansas Metropolis made strides to improve the bullpen on the commerce deadline, buying Hunter Harvey, Michael Lorenzen and Lucas Erceg. Whereas the Harvey and Lorenzen acquisitions did not pan out the way in which the Royals envisioned, Erceg and the remainder of the bullpen have been a serious cause why the staff is advancing to the ALDS.
In Recreation 1, the Royals bullpen turned in three scoreless innings, permitting only one hit and issuing two walks to clinch a 1-0 victory. Kansas Metropolis’s relievers have been much more spectacular on Wednesday after Lugo was knocked out within the fifth inning. 5 pitchers mixed to shutout Baltimore over the sport’s ultimate 4.2 innings, putting out six batters whereas solely permitting two Orioles hitters to achieve base safely.
Regardless of missing expertise, the Royals bullpen seems to be hitting its stride on the good time, which may make all of the distinction in October. Simply ask the 2023 World Collection champion Rangers, who had a bullpen ranked twenty fourth in ERA (4.77) earlier than the unit turned the nook within the postseason.
