Don’t look now, but the Kansas City Royals are red hot and have just overtaken the Detroit Tigers for first place in the American League Central for the second time on the season. The first time they couldn’t handle the heat and as quickly as they took the lead, the lost it. Now, after the Royals defeated the Oakland Athletics and the Tigers lost to the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Royals have a second chance at a first impression.
For three years in a row now the Tigers have been favorites to win the American League so it is no surprise that when the Tigers struggle there is some reason behind it. The first time around it was “The Curse of the Zubaz” after the team’s flight was delayed out of Boston after a series against the Red Sox. The curse began when the team wore Zubaz as a team while waiting for their flight to be rescheduled. The late flight seemed to give the offense a hangover and the team went on a tough stretch that allowed the Royals to catch them. This time around it is a tough schedule that seems to have doomed the team, and again the Royals have taken advantage.
It’s not just a tough schedule, though, it is a nearly impossible schedule. Now you might be saying, all teams have tough schedules down the stretch, but this schedule is something else. Over 55 days the Tigers play 54 times. Part of it is because of the tough late season schedule and part of it is makeup games from early season rain outs. No matter the reason it is going to be a tough stretch for the Tigers to go through, and they have already lost one person to injury, starting pitcher Anibal Sanchez. Sanchez is an important key for this team, and they nearly lost another as Justin Verlander left his most recent start early with shoulder soreness. Luckily for the Tigers there appears to be no damage to Verlander’s shoulder because two hits to the rotation during this stretch would have made it very difficult for them to now catch the Royals.
While the Tigers are struggling through the toughest part of their schedule and dealing with injuries the Royals are playing their best baseball. They too have had the injury bug bite them as starting first baseman Eric Hosmer is on the disabled list, but they were able to replace him by acquiring slugger Josh Willingham in a waivers trade allowing them to play him at designated hitter and move Billy Butler from the DH role to first base.
The difficulties the Tigers are facing and the ability of the Royals to fix their ailments have led to the Royals now leading the American Lead Central, but can they hold it this time? That’s the million dollar question, and thanks to the difficult schedule and the injuries that have struck the Tigers it appears that this division is the Royals to lose. Even with the advantage currently in the Royals favor, the two teams will still play two series against each other in September, and it is possible those two series could decide who wins the Central.