Yankees’ 2024 Playoff Preview: Renewing a Rivalry with the Royals
After a two-game series sweep of the Baltimore Orioles, the Kansas City Royals have advanced to the ALDS to face the New York Yankees. This is their first postseason matchup since 1980, which marked the end of an intense and underrated rivalry in the late 70s and early 80s. These teams met in the ALCS four times from 1976-1980, with New York coming out on top thrice and the Royals finally vanquishing their Bronx demons in 1980. It sent the Yankees into the rare ringless decade, and the Yankees are currently in their longest title drought since then.
The Yankees are hoping to break a four-game playoff losing streak while the Royals want to make it five-straight playoff series wins as these two squads bring a new flavor to a classic rivalry.
Bobby Witt Jr. is one of the best players in the sport. There’s no other way to talk about him than by putting him in the same breath as the Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani class of players. Since 2023, the former first-round pick has the most WAR for a position player in baseball (16.2) and a 141 wRC+. His power-speed combination makes him a threat when you go after him and a threat if you make the short-sighted decision to walk him. You cannot stop him from beating you; all you can hope is that he does his damage with no one already on base.
