At just past 10:30 a.m. on Monday morning, the Royals clubhouse was still mostly empty. Music hummed in the background at a reasonable level. A row of blue equipment bags lined the floor, ready to be packed onto a team charter. One by one, players sauntered into the room.
On the final day of an eight-game home stand, Royals manager Ned Yost allowed his team a late arrival before an afternoon matinee against the Chicago White Sox. As the room filled with players, some arriving after 11 a.m., the mood toed the line between subdued and relaxed. The quiet morning belied the dominating effort to come.