Kansas City Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr. Wins Award for 3rd Straight Season
· Yahoo Sports
The Kansas City Royals' season has not gone to plan. After Friday's loss to the Chicago Cubs, they now sit 21 games under .500 and nearly all hope of a playoff appearance is lost.
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That is for this season at least. There is a real chance this club can bounce back in 2027. The Royals decided to keep both Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo at this year's trade deadline rather than moving them to a contender, a decision that signals the organization believes it can compete sooner rather than later. The main reason for that belief though is shortstop Bobby Witt Jr.
Now in his fifth big-league season, it is hard to find a more complete all-around player than Witt. Chicago Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong may have a slight edge in total impact this year, but Witt remains one of the most special talents in the game.
He dealt with lower back tightness this year that landed him on the injured list for the first time in his career, but when available he has been incredible.
He has accumulated 5.3 bWAR, leads the American League with 31 stolen bases while being caught just five times and plays elite defense at the most demanding position on the field.
Across 98 games, the 26-year-old superstar has posted a .286 batting average, .355 on-base percentage, .810 OPS, 13 home runs and 42 RBIs.
He earned his third straight All-Star selection this year, this time as a starter for the first time in his career. However, that is not the only accolade he is receiving this year.
"Heart and Hustle personified. Congratulations to Bobby Witt Jr. on another MLBPAA Heart and Hustle Award!" the Royals wrote on X.
This is the fifth consecutive time Witt has won the honor, and it is easy to see why. He is the heart of this Royals club in every sense.
He cares deeply about the franchise and the community, even taking a slight discount when signing his long-term extension to give the front office more flexibility to build a capable team around him. He also hustles on every single play, not just by Royals standards but by the standards of the entire league.
For a fan base that has not had much to celebrate this season, having a player of Witt's character and caliber leading this franchise into the future is a good enough reason to stay invested.