Bobby Witt Jr. is playing the best baseball of his career. The Royals are taking note
.jpg "Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez (13) lifts shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (7) as they celebrate a victory against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Aug. 4, 2023.")
Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. received a badge of honor from Philadelphia Phillies fans on Friday night.
Witt was serenaded with boos after hitting his 20th home run. The 410-foot blast was historic on many levels and the City of Brotherly Love reacted appropriately.
The Royals superstar had earned their respect. Witt, 23, also proved why his moniker of “Bobby Baseball” will forever be associated with one historic MLB feat in the Royals’ 7-5 victory.
“I’ll say it until I’m blue in the face: It’s no surprise to anyone in here,” Royals second baseman Michael Massey said. “The way he works and gets after his craft is unbelievable. It’s fun for everyone to watch and fun for everyone to learn from.”
Witt became the first MLB player to have at least 20 home runs and 30 steals in each of his first two big-league seasons. Witt leads the Royals in hits (120), home runs (20), RBIs (66) and stolen bases (32).
Witt has also done it under lofty expectations. He was drafted second overall in the 2019 MLB Draft. The Royals fast-tracked him through the minor-league system, and he made his MLB debut last season.
Now, Witt is succeeding at the highest level. He continues to flash his five-tool ability with a mixture of defensive highlights, powerful offense and game-winning prowess.
“The streak that he is on is definitely a good vision of what’s to come for him and the future of his career,” Royals pitcher Jordan Lyles said. “He is one of the best players in baseball and only in his second year. Hopefully a lot of people outside the Kansas City area are starting to see that.”
The Royals authenticated Witt’s bat, jersey and home run ball from Friday. His performance will remain a piece of baseball history.
“I didn’t know that was a thing until I think they grabbed my bat during the game,” Witt said. “I was looking for my bat and I didn’t know where it was. They said they authenticated it. I said, ‘Can I use it?’ And they said no. That’s when they kind of told me.”
Royals manager Matt Quatraro was honored to be a part of the moment. He mentioned that Witt is thriving due to a heightened confidence in his overall game. That confidence helped him earn Royals Player of the Month for July.
“Good hitters, when they start to feel comfortable, they see the ball well and lay off tough pitches,” Quatraro said. “When they get mistakes, they do damage. Bobby has been doing all of that.”
Witt has propelled the Royals during their seven-game winning streak. He hit a walk-off grand slam against the Minnesota Twins. He also hit a key home run against the New York Mets and showed his defensive versatility.
His stats during the streak are equally impressive. Witt is hitting .531 (17 for 32) with four home runs and 15 RBIs. He also has four stolen bases and a 1.031 slugging percentage.
On Friday, Witt continued to elevate his game. He is quickly becoming the Royals’ franchise superstar and reaching heights not seen in Kansas City for a very long time.
“I think it’s just motivation to keep getting better each and every year,” Witt said. “Just keep stacking up stats. I feel like any time you are winning, you are going to be playing good. It’s the ultimate goal to win.”
This story was originally published August 5, 2023 at 5:30 AM with the headline "Bobby Witt Jr. is playing the best baseball of his career. The Royals are taking note."
