And everywhere you look, there are role players stepping up in big moments.Though they were largely written off as contenders at the start of the season, prominent folks around Major League Baseball have begun taking notice of the Royals' ascent.

Bobby Witt Jr. stands alone in the Major League Baseball record books. The Kansas City Royals star became the first MLB shortstop to produce multiple 30-30 seasons in a career. Witt reached the milestone with a first-inning stolen base against the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday night at Kauffman Stadium.

This year, four Central teams are in the playoff race with less than two weeks to play. The Royals are among eight teams in the American League vying for one of the six spots in the postseason field.