Kansas City stumbled into the postseason, losing seven consecutive games twice in the past five weeks. Still, it wasn't enough to spoil the Royals' first playoff experience since winning the World Series in 2015. The Royals' pitching, as it has all year, concluded the season projecting strength -- and Minnesota blowing its lead in the wild-card race allowed Kansas City to waste neither Cole Ragans nor Seth Lugo before its playoff series.

The Royals getting to start those two in any order is deeply disadvantageous for the Orioles. Ragans has pitched like an ace this season, and Lugo has been every bit as good. And out of nowhere, the Royals' bullpen has been among the game's best. In the past two weeks, Kansas City sports the second-best reliever ERA at 1.42. The Royals will need all the zeroes they can muster. Beyond Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez, the Royals' offense is iffy, and the likelihood of Kansas City making a run deep into the playoffs will rely on some of the supporting cast learning how not to be iffy. Maybe it's Tommy Pham or Yuli Gurriel, guys who have been there. Or, if they're lucky, maybe Vinnie Pasquantino, who's desperately trying to make his way back from a broken thumb and sounds optimistic about it happening. However far the Royals go, it's a stark reminder: Invest money like owner John Sherman did, and very good things can happen.