Let's be honest about where the Royals stand: 65-82, nine games back of the final AL Wild Card spot. The Angels and Athletics are already officially eliminated. The Royals aren't there yet, but their magic number to stay alive is down to 6, and barring a genuine miracle, this isn't a playoff season.
But here's the fun part: of their final games, the vast majority are against teams currently holding a playoff spot. The Royals aren't just playing out the string, they're in position to have a real say in who actually makes October.
Think about it: a series against Boston could complicate the Red Sox's push for the top Wild Card seed. A sweep of Houston could flip the AL West race on its head. And closing the season at home against the White Sox and Guardians means Kansas City could have a direct hand in deciding the AL Central.
There's also a real individual storyline worth watching: rookie catcher Carter Jensen has been putting together the kind of stretch that could make a genuine case for AL Rookie of the Year.
If the season isn't going to end in October for us, I'd rather spend the next three weeks watching this team mess with everyone else's plans than just watching the calendar run out.