After the Wild Card frenzy, the oath has become more clearer for teams. The division series is going to offer some of the best baseball, especially with the National League. However, the American League has some intriguing series and ones that could lead to upsets.

If you are a New York Yankees fan, you have to be optimistic about your chances to reach the World Series. It is hard to win October, but the path to get there is desirable. The Houston Astros are out, so the team that’s been the thorn in their side is no longer in the picture. The Yankees have the group to achieve something and can go on a run.

But first, they’ll have to get through Bobby Witt Jr and the Kansas City Royals. With the Royals pulling off the upset and defeating the Baltimore Orioles, there is the possibility of it happening again. A few things need to go right and tilt their way, so here’s how they can pull off the inevitable.

How the Royals Can Pull Off the Upset

Pitching Needs to be Dynamite

If there was ever a bright spot for the Royals team, it was their pitching. Collectively, the Royals had the seventh best ERA and the starting rotation had the second best ERA. Ironically, the Yankees finished with the same ERA as them during the regular season, so this series could feature some really dominant pitching.

For the Royals the pitching will need to be at their best in this series. It’ll be a daunting task facing Aaron Judge AND Juan Soto. Not to mention, they have a supporting cast that can make you pay. If the Yankees offense is firing on all cylinders, the Royals could be in trouble.

There is reason to feel good about the pitching. They allowed just one earned run in the series against the Orioles. In the two games, they have a 0.50 ERA and a 0.83 WHIP. Very little base traffic the Orioles drew against them. Between the rotation and bullpen, the Royals averaged 11 K/9, while also limiting their walks. If they can keep up this pace, they are in good shape. They have tremendous depth with Cole Ragans, Seth Lugo, Brady Singer, Michael Wacha, and even Michael Lorenzen can give you quality innings.

A potent offense for the Yankees against what’s been a phenomenal staff all year for the Royals. Get the popcorn ready.

But if the Royals are to truly survive, they’ll need run support.

Offense Needs to be Better than in the Wild Card Series

Gliding by the Orioles scoring three total runs was fine for that series. But if the Royals are going to get by the Yankees, they are going to need a much larger output. The Yankees offense put up the third most runs during the regular season. Also, they mash and thrive off the deep ball hitting the most home runs in the regular season.

This is not a conversation if we are talking about the Royals offense in the month of August. The Royals were among the best offenses in the league in August, showing their dominance at the plate. They finished third in batting average, second in slugging, and seventh in OPS. They scored a lot of runs.

Trends are important in the game of baseball, as things can change in the blink of an eye. Well, things did change and for the worst. The Royals offense was dead last in every category regarding their slash line. They were playing the worst baseball in their season. The same lowly offensive output carried into the series against the Orioles.

Going up against an offense that can flex their muscles, the Royals will need to be at their best and turn things around or this series will be over quicker than it began.

Best Players Need to be the Best Players

Much like the NLDS series between the Dodgers and the Padres, this series has the star power. Does it run nearly as deep? No. But some of the best players in the American League are in this series and will be under the bright lights of New York City.

Three players in this series are likely to be in the AL MVP conversation. The first is Aaron Judge, who became the first player since Barry Bonds (2004) to finish with a slugging percentage above .700. He also led the league in OPS and hit the most home runs. His running mate Juan Soto also put together an MVP level season. For the Royals, they’ll need their super star to be a super star in this series.

Bobby Witt Jr is a super star in this league and needs to be at his best. He can do it all from his elite defense to causing chaos on the base paths and is a machine at the plate. Witt Jr with a very impressive slash line of .332/.389/.588/.977 and had the fifth highest wRC+. Also, he finished second in WAR behind Judge.

Thats not all though. One player that was extremely impressive this season was first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino. Salvador Perez will forever be a legend and is having an impressive season as well. Both had extremely identical slash lines and if this trio can be at their best, they are in good shape.

For the Royals to pull off this upset, the offense needs to be better and needs to be led by their best players.