The American League (AL) Central Division title race is heating up as August ends – and Kansas City is in the thick of it.

As of Friday afternoon, the Royals were in second place and trailing division leader Cleveland by 1.5 games. But they were 5-5 through their last 10 games and had dropped two straight entering Friday night’s meeting with AL West leader Houston at Minute Maid Park.

Kansas City remains in the thick of the American League (AL) playoff race, despite going 4-6 in its last 10 games.

The Royals were 66-55 and held the position of the final wild card spot entering this weekend’s three-game interleague road series with Cincinnati. Their 4-6 stretch began with a split of the final two games of a road series with Detroit.

With the regular season less than three weeks away, Kansas City is prepping to do something only one other NFL franchise has done: win three straight league titles.

The Chiefs have won back-to-back league titles, rallying to defeat Philadelphia in Super Bowl LVII, and then rallying and defeating San Francisco in overtime in Super Bowl LVIII. A victory in Super Bowl LIX, scheduled for February 2025 in New Orleans would put them in the company of Green Bay.