As a slider wrestled with his back foot, Dodgers shortstop Manny Machado swung his bat through nothing except air, and Red Sox catcher Christian Vazquez rushed the mound to celebrate in the arms of his pitcher, left-hander Chris Sale.
In Sunday night’s fifth game of the World Series, this was the final image of the 2018 season for two teams.
It put in motion the commencement of the 2019 campaign for 28 others.
The Royals included.
As of 8 a.m. Monday, Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar became a free agent for the second straight year. In what’s likely to be a quiet offseason in Kansas City, per general manager Dayton Moore, Escobar could be the only Royals player entering free agency this winter.