It’s Rivalry Weekend in baseball, and the Kansas City Royals are heading to St. Louis to face the Cardinals in what promises to be an intense cross-state showdown. But let’s be honest—the vibes in Royal-land have taken a sharp turn south.

The last time we checked in, the Royals had just swept the Detroit Tigers for the second straight weekend. They were riding high, sitting in second place in the AL Central and holding a Wild Card spot. Fast forward to today, and the team has lost four in a row. They’ve tumbled to the bottom of the division and now sit 2.5 games back of a Wild Card berth. The mood? Let’s just say it’s been compared to “Battlefield Earth” bad or “Game of Thrones finale” bad.

But here’s the thing: despite the rough stretch, the Royals are still fewer than three wins away from a playoff spot. Yes, you read that right. In the middle—or maybe the end—of their second wave of awful vibes this season, they’re still within striking distance. This isn’t the time to panic and trade away every moderately valuable player. It’s time to take a deep breath and remember that baseball is a marathon, not a sprint.

If watching the Royals has been a test of your patience, here’s some good news: Rivalry Weekend means every game except the national broadcasts is free on MLB.TV. So if you need a break from the Royals’ struggles, go watch another team. They’ll still be here when you’re ready to return—and hopefully, they’ll be playing better.

For those of us who get paid to watch this team, weeks like this remind us why it’s not always easy money. But no sympathy needed—just know that when the baseball is truly awful, we’re watching it right alongside you.

On the mound tonight is Michael Wacha, who also started the last Royals win. That feels like a good omen. He’s been fantastic this year, ranking as the seventh-most valuable pitcher in the American League by bWAR. (fWAR isn’t as kind because he’s not piling up strikeouts, but results speak for themselves.)

So grab your Royals gear, settle in, and let’s see if Wacha can turn the tide. It’s Rivalry Weekend—time to play some baseball.