The Kansas City Royals have nothing left to play for in 2026.

Or do they?

Kansas City has officially been eliminated from postseason contention, but the Royals could still have an enormous impact on which AL Central rival gets to play in October. The Royals will host the Chicago White Sox for three games beginning Sept. 22 before immediately welcoming the Cleveland Guardians for another three-game series to close the regular season.

Talk about having an opportunity to play spoiler.

“The Royals are going to have a chance to ruin somebody's Postseason hopes,” Mike Lowell said on MLB Network.

White Sox remaining schedule: 4 vs. DET, 3 at KC, 3 vs. COL
Guardians remaining schedule: 3 vs. ATH, 3 at BOS, 3 at KC

"The Royals are going to have a chance to ruin somebody's Postseason hopes." #MLBTonight pic.twitter.com/sl8sOFLVqC

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) September 17, 2026

Cleveland entered Thursday holding a razor-thin half-game advantage over Chicago after taking two of three from the White Sox this week. That makes both upcoming series in Kansas City potentially enormous.

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The White Sox also own the head-to-head tiebreaker over Cleveland, adding even more pressure on the Guardians to create separation.

Kansas City hasn't been a good team this season, but that doesn't make the Royals harmless. They just beat Houston 5-2 on Wednesday, helping Texas pull even with the Astros atop the AL West. Now they could disrupt another division race.

Chicago's remaining schedule also appears slightly more favorable. The White Sox still have games against Detroit and Colorado before traveling to Kansas City.

Cleveland, meanwhile, faces the Athletics before a much more difficult series against Boston and then finishes with those three games against the Royals. Neither contender can afford to overlook Kansas City.

The Royals won't be playing postseason baseball themselves, but six consecutive games against the two teams fighting for the AL Central gives them an unusual amount of influence over who will.

The Royals' season might be over. Their ability to wreck someone else's certainly isn't.