Bobby Witt Jr. has all but locked up the American League batting title, and he might just carry the Kansas City Royals into another playoff appearance in the process. Witt went 2 for 4 on Saturday to push his batting average to .348, and the Royals are now half a game back of the final AL wild card spot with three weeks left in the regular season.
Witt is having one of the great individual seasons in Royals history. He is hitting .348 with 32 home runs, 108 RBIs, and 44 stolen bases. His defense at shortstop remains elite, and his baserunning has been the best in the league. He is the most complete player in the American League.
The MVP conversation is between Witt and Aaron Judge. Judge has the counting stats and the market share of narrative. Witt has the batting title, the elite defense, and the playoff push. Voters are going to have a very hard time separating the two.
The Royals were left for dead in June. Kansas City lost 12 of 15 games in a stretch that dropped them 8.5 games behind Cleveland in the AL Central, and the trade deadline came and went without any major additions. Manager Matt Quatraro kept the team together, and now Kansas City is 21-10 since August 5.
Salvador Perez has quietly had a resurgent season, hitting .284 with 24 home runs at age 36. Vinnie Pasquantino has been an on-base machine at first base. And offseason acquisition Kyle Isbel has stabilized center field with a huge glove.
The pitching has been the story. Cole Ragans is a legitimate ace, and Seth Lugo has been reliable all year. Michael Wacha has been a solid third starter, and rookie Alec Marsh has stepped up in the second half. The bullpen, though, remains the weak spot.
The wild card race is a mess. Boston is holding the last spot at three games over .500. Tampa Bay is one game back. Kansas City is 1.5 games back. Minnesota is two games back. Any of these teams could realistically get in or fall out over the next three weeks.
The Royals close the season with a brutal stretch. Kansas City plays Cleveland twice, Detroit once, and Boston once in September. Every game will feel like an elimination game, and every at-bat from Witt Jr. is worth watching.
If the Royals make it, this becomes one of the best stories in baseball. If they miss, Witt Jr. still wins a batting title and finishes second in the MVP race. Either way, Kansas City is the most fun team in the American League right now, and the Royals have a real chance to be dangerous in October.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
