‘We got plenty of good years to come’: Royals fans share sadness, hope after playoff loss

October marks the season of haunts. The Halloween spirit takes over, as haunted houses kick it into high gear and and stores start selling costumes for trick-or-treaters.

But the biggest horror of the season may have happened Thursday, Oct. 10, inside Kauffman Stadium.

With the Kansas City Royals down 2-1 in a best-of-five series against the New York Yankees in the American League Division Series, fans experienced small peaks and extreme valleys during Game 4. It ended up being the final game of the series, as the Yankees won 3-1 .

Fans watched in dismay as the Royals mustered only six hits against the Yankees’ pitching staff. Three of those came off the bat of right fielder Tommy Pham.

Derrick Kuhl, a born and raised Kansas Citian who now lives in Denver, said it was like watching a horror movie with the thrills and jolts he experienced not only during this game, but throughout the series.

“It’s exciting because every game has been a nail biter and hanging on every single pitch,” Kuhl said. “It’d be great if we could score more runs, but the fact that the competition’s been intense and you feel the energy, it’s awesome.”

The uneasy feelings kicked in for Kuhl and the sold-out Kauffman crowd in the first inning. In just a few pitches from Royals pitcher Michael Wacha, the crowd’s excitement turned into worry.

The Yankees got on the board in the first inning, and fans could do nothing but watch as the Royals offense continued to strike out or ground out against Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole.

Fans showered the umpires with boos after every ball he called. They hung their heads in agony and anguish after the Yankees added a second run in the fifth inning on a single from second baseman Gleyber Torres. More boos followed after Giancarlo Stanton added to the Yankees’ lead with a single in the sixth.

Loud roars of “Let’s go Royals” would fill the stadium, but quickly evaporate as Cole quickly moved through the Royals lineup. A glimmer of hope appeared on a deep ball from left fielder MJ Melendez in the fifth inning, but it was caught by Yankees right fielder Juan Soto.

Melendez’s hit would’ve been a home run in five different MLB stadiums , including Yankee Stadium.

“Damnit, Kyle,” one fan said after center fielder Kyle Isbel struck out to end the fifth. Isbel would later hit a ball in the seventh inning that would’ve been a home run in 24 different MLB stadiums , which drew even more despair from fans after Soto caught it at the warning track.

‘Touch that George Brett booty cheek’

Heading into the sixth, fans were starting to feel discouraged, but not Jason Davis from Kansas City. He said fans have been here before, referring to the epic comeback the Royals staged in the 2014 American League Wild Card game against the Oakland Athletics.

“The ball has been hit, it’s just a matter of seeing the ball down, and I think that will get it rolling,” Davis said. “It’s a matter of seeing the first one down and getting it to the next person.”

Davis was onto something, as the Royals scored their only run in the sixth inning — a double from designated hitter Vinnie Pasquantino that drove shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. home.

The joy immediately went to sorrow after catcher and team captain Salvador Perez popped up to end the inning. Fans tried everything to will the team back into it, from chanting the player’s names to touching the butts on the statues of Royals legends Dick Howser and George Brett in the outfield concourse.

“Touch that George Brett booty cheek,” one fan said as he tried to rally everyone together. A few ended up joining him.

“It’s only weird if it doesn’t work,” said another fan.

Fans started to give up and leave the stadium after Witt grounded out to end the eighth inning. After Perez struck out for the second out in the ninth and final inning, more fans left for the parking lot before the last swing by first baseman Yuli Gurriel fell into the glove of Yankees center fielder Aaron Judge.

The remaining fans could only stand there and watch as the Yankees celebrated in the middle of the field, like they just finished a movie where their favorite character gets killed by the slashing villain.

Excitement for where the Royals go from here

It’s not all doom and gloom from Royals fans following the loss. A few shared their excitement for the future of the franchise.

The team finished 2023 with 106 losses, the most in franchise history, and improving enough to make the playoffs this year is only the beginning, Raytown native Zach Flanery said.

“Hats off to the Royals crew, the general manager, the staff that made all the offseason moves and everything that built this roster,” Flanery said. “I’m already looking forward to next year no matter what happens. We got plenty of good years to come.”

Kuhl’s expectations weren’t super high at the midway point of the season, but he was overjoyed and super grateful to see the team make the playoffs for the first time since 2015. He wasn’t in Kansas City during that time, so he missed out on the World Series runs.

“I think everybody is super optimistic about the ball club and the direction,” Kuhl said. “A lot of excitement and a lot of us are just happy to be here.”

“Great season @Royals!” Chiefs quarterback and part-owner of the Royals Patrick Mahomes said on social media .

“I love you guys. I’m sad, but I love you guys. I can’t wait for next season,” said one fan on social media under the Royals’ thank you post .

“One of the best year over year improvements in baseball history. Life has been revived into Kansas City Royals Baseball. The K will have some super fun crowds next year and there will be real excitement from the jump,” another fan said on social media.