There was some debate about what fueled the surge that saw the Royals finish August with a 20-9 record.
Was it the so-called Rally Mantis or the return of Lorenzo Cain?
Cain returned to the Royals on July 29 after missing 25 games because of a strained left hamstring. The Royals caught fire not long after Cain was back in the lineup.
From Aug. 2 to Aug. 30, Cain batted .303 with seven doubles, a triple, one homer, 16 RBIs and 15 runs scored in 26 games. The Royals went 18-8 in that span.
The Royals’ express has since slowed while Cain has again been out of action.