The Kansas City Royals are limping to the finish line but there are a few reasons to be encouraged with this team's progress of late. Bobby Witt Jr. is leading a late postseason push with the help of some historically good pitching by the Royals. A 3-0 win over the Washington Nationals has Kansas City on the cusp of a Wild Card spot, needing three wins to wrap up the overtime pay. Pitcher Michael Lorenzen is hoping for the opportunity after weeks on the injury list.

Lorenzen (left hamstring) left the game after recording seven outs as the starting hurler. The third-inning exit was expected given it was Lorenzen's first start since August 27. He struck out two batters and allowed no hits in 28 pitches before hitting a limit. Still, Lorenzen's body told him the time was up. The bullpen would have to make three runs hold.

“I could tell my leg reached its limit and I didn’t want to push it,” Lorenzen explained. “We’re so close to getting to where we want to be. I feel like the value of me being available for that is more important than me trying to push through something. I could tell I’d reached my limit. It was hard to make that decision, but I felt like it was the right decision.”

Royals ready for MLB Wild Card rumble

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Kansas City can close out a three-game series sweep over the Nationals on September 26. Then comes a three-game set against the Atlanta Braves. That's why Lorenzen looked towards the dugout for relief as soon as something felt different.

“As I’m warming up in the first two innings, you don’t feel anything at all, you just feel normal,” Lorenzen shared. “Then you just start to feel the leg have to work. That tells me it’s fatiguing a little bit, and that’s really the only difference. I go from zero thought about it to, ‘OK, I can feel it working a little bit.’ Then, ‘OK, it’s at its end for the day, so we’ll call it a day and live to fight another one.”

The Minnesota Twins and Seattle Mariners are hot on the trail just waiting for the Royals to slip up. Atlanta is one game below the National League Wild Card cutoff line. Lorenzen might be on the shelf for the regular season but will surely be needed for any 163rd game. That is why staying cool under fire was the safe play considering what is at stake.