Royals Tie Guardians for AL Central Lead

The Kansas City Royals have made a historic turnaround, tying the Cleveland Guardians for first place in the AL Central after being behind by 10 games just two months ago. The Royals' resurgence is attributed to key mid-season trades, including acquisitions of Michael Lorenzen, Lucas Erceg, and Paul DeJong, who have all significantly contributed to the team's success. Kansas City has the best post-All-Star break record in the league at 23-13 and has won 10 of their last 13 games. The Royals now lead the season series against Cleveland 7-2. Meanwhile, the Guardians have struggled offensively, losing nine of their last 12 games and seeing key players underperform. This dramatic shift sets the stage for a tight division race with 29 games left in the season.