Cleveland Guardians

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 is slipping in the American League Central Division race.

After running a close second to Cleveland for a stretch of the Major League Baseball regular season, the Royals were third in the division entering Thursday’s interdivisional road meeting with Oakland. They also had gone 2-8 in their last 10 ballgames.

Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro and his Royals remain in contention in the American League Central Division, despite a recent 4-6 stretch.