The Major League Baseball trade deadline is July 31 at 4 p.m. ET. Teams are heading in many different directions as that date approaches. Much of what happens at the deadline will depend on how clubs perform over the next 30 games.
Heading into Friday night’s action, 20 teams were within five games of a playoff spot. That gap will shift over the next month, but which way it moves remains to be seen.
One of the teams currently on the outside looking in, but still within striking distance of one of the 12 playoff spots, is the Kansas City Royals. Matt Quatraro’s team sits at 37-38, 10.5 games back in the American League Central, but just 1.5 games behind the third wild card team: the Seattle Mariners.
It’s a crucial stretch for Kansas City as they open a road series Friday night in San Diego.
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Following three games against the Padres, the Royals return home for three games against the Rays and three more against the Dodgers. Tampa Bay has been red-hot lately, and the Dodgers are the defending World Series champions. That is a stretch of games with teams a combined 83-68 record on the season.
Then, Kansas City heads back out west, playing four games in Seattle and three in Arizona. While the Diamondbacks are not within five games of a playoff spot, they still have plenty of talent. Things ease up slightly starting July 7 with a three-game home set against the Pittsburgh Pirates, one of the worst teams in baseball.
After that, the New York Mets come to town. The Royals then hit the road to face the Marlins, travel to Wrigley Field for a three-game series with the Cubs, and finish up the pre-deadline schedule at home against the Guardians and Braves. Cleveland and Atlanta have underachieved, but both were preseason picks to be playoff contenders, and will also be playing desperate.
There aren’t many gimmes in that stretch. This is a make-or-break run for Kansas City. If they want to reach the postseason in 2025, now is the time to get hot and stay hot.
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