Kansas City Royals

It appears to be a two-man race for American League MVP between New York Yankees star Aaron Judge and Kansas City Royals star Bobby Witt Jr., and the two of them expressed high praise for one another.

While speaking to ESPN's Jeff Passan, Witt said he admires Judge's demeanor in addition to his production at the plate and dubbed him with a distinctive nickname.

"He's just so consistent," Witt said. "That's the name of the game: Stay healthy, stay on the field and help the team. He does that in a good way, and he does it the right way. He's not out there showboating. He's a big dude. He can do whatever he wants. He's the king of New York."

Judge leads MLB with 51 home runs and 125 RBI while ranking third with a .321 batting average. Witt leads the majors with a .336 batting average while adding 30 homers and 98 RBI. The two of them will go head-to-head when the Yankees (82-61) host the Royals (79-65) in a three-game series starting on Monday.

There is a 181-point difference in OPS between Aaron Judge and Bobby Witt Jr.

The same difference in OPS would land Witt Jr. in between Riley Greene (19th) and Elly De La Cruz (20th) 🤯 pic.twitter.com/X8bxVcMHN8

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) August 29, 2024

Judge, who won AL MVP in 2022, told Passan that he's been impressed with Witt's development into Kansas City's franchise player.

"He's the complete player," Judge said. "Can hit, run, field, do everything. He was already a great player last year, but he continues to improve every single game I watch him."

Judge and the Yankees are competing for the AL East crown, while Witt has the Royals in a position to end their eight-year playoff drought, as they are currently in the second wild-card spot with the postseason quickly approaching.

The two of them were asked which tool they'd like to steal from the other, and they gave answers that displayed the different ways they established themselves as the frontrunners in the MVP race.

"The speed," Judge said of Witt. "He can stretch normal singles into doubles. Doubles into triples. And then every single, you're fearful he'll be on third base before you know it. When I'm at the plate, I love having one of those speed guys on in front of me. I'll get more fastballs and chances to drive in runs."

"The power," Witt said of Judge. "Balls I hit in the right-center field gap that are doubles, triples, he's hitting those out -- way out -- for homers."

The last time Aaron Judge hit 60 home runs, not even Shohei Ohtani, at the height of his two-way powers, could deny him the American League MVP.

Well, he was lucky that he didn't have to contend with the 2024 version of Bobby Witt Jr.

Nobody should need to be sold on the Kansas City Royals shortstop as a superstar. He was the sport's No. 1 prospect when he debuted in 2022, and he produced a 20-20 season that year and then a 30-30 season in 2023. This year, he was an All-Star for the first time.

Yet the 24-year-old Witt was notably not voted in as the AL's starting shortstop (Gunnar Henderson), and his name was conspicuously absent from the league's best-selling jerseys. I daresay he's underrated, and players can only become underrated by being underseen.

So, let's take a moment to see what Witt is doing for the Royals in 2024:

• 162 H: 1st in MLB
• 99 R: 1st in MLB
• .349 AVG: 1st in MLB
• .394 OBP: T-3rd in MLB
• .606 SLG: 3rd in MLB
• 1.000 OPS: 4th in MLB

There's also Witt's .409 average at Kauffman Stadium, which is the highest home average since Barry Bonds in 2004. And with 22 home runs and 25 stolen bases, he's the first AL/NL player to record at least 20 homers and 20 steals in each of his first three seasons.

"He's the face of baseball moving forward, or at least part of the face along with a lot of other good players, and I don't say that lightly," Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said recently.

Everything Witt is doing is going toward a good cause. The Royals hold the AL's third wild-card slot at 64-52. If they keep holding it, they'll make the playoffs for the first time since they won the World Series in 2015.

According to DraftKings, the odds still favor Judge to win the AL MVP by a large margin. He's currently a massive -1100 favorite, with Witt Jr. at +550. The Yankees captain boasts an MLB-best 1.147 OPS and is up to 41 home runs, putting him 21 shy of his AL-record 62 from 2022. The New York Yankees, meanwhile, are tied atop the AL East at 68-47.

There's a lot of season still left to go, however. And while that statement obviously cuts both ways, it's not hard to argue for Witt over Judge as the AL MVP.

In fact, it's quite easy.

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Let's Not Go to WAR Over This

One thing we're not going to do is use wins above replacement to settle this debate.

I'm taking this stance partly out of protest. WAR is a useful tool, but the degree to which it's infected the MVP voting over the last decade is a bit much. "Most Valuable Player" has almost become synonymous with "Guy with the Most WAR," and that sucks.

Besides, WAR isn't much help in this scenario.

Judge (7.8) has the edge for Baseball Reference, but only by 0.2 WAR over Witt (7.6). The latter (8.1) has the edge at FanGraphs, but only by 0.3 WAR over the former (7.8).

The best thing to do, then, is to consider each player's merits. This is especially hard to do with Witt because, as MLB so succinctly captured, he's just so darn good at everything:

Bobby Witt Jr. is really really ridiculously good at baseball 😳 pic.twitter.com/yDybE5oY9Z

— MLB (@MLB) August 8, 2024

That Judge's and Witt's WAR are nonetheless as close as they are has a lot to do with how overpowering Judge has been at the plate. Beyond his OPS and his home runs, it's there in his league-best marks for Batting Runs and Runs Created.

But is Judge really that much of a better offensive player than Witt?

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The Case for Witt's Offense

Judge has gotten on base 31 more times than Witt, including by way of 19 more homers. But while those advantages are significant, the two are otherwise closer than you might think.

Witt (65) and Judge (67) are about even in extra-base hits, and Witt (281) even has the edge on Judge (280) for total bases. Plus, Witt has Judge beat by 20 stolen bases.

Witt clearly understands that the whole point is to get around the bases, no matter how you do it. And that he's scored 99 runs, as a result, isn't merely impressive in a vacuum. Those account for 18 percent of all the runs the Royals have scored, whereas no other player is responsible for more than 16 percent of his team's runs.

What Witt is not is the RBI man that Judge has been. The Yankee captain has driven in 104 runs, putting him 20 above Witt and comfortably in the lead among all hitters.

However, there is a good reason why Witt seems to have had a nose for the clutch hit.

On average, he's faced higher-pressure situations than Judge and batted with a total of 254 runners on base. Out of those plate appearances, 62 runs were scored.

Bobby Witt Jr. comes up clutch ... again pic.twitter.com/lj9GL0jH9X

— MLB (@MLB) August 8, 2024

That's a rate of 24.4 percent, the highest of any hitter who's batted with at least 100 runners on base.

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The Case for Witt's Defense

Defense is always going to be the less sexy element of any MVP debate involving two-position players, but it is important.

In addition to bases and runs, outs are the other major currency in baseball, after all. And for infielders, chances to make outs can pile up almost as fast as at-bats on the offensive side.

And for a team like the Royals, a good defense is not merely a nice to have. Their pitching staff largely forgoes the strikeout, resulting in an AL-high 4,182 defensive chances for the team's fielders. Witt has personally handled 433 of those, the fourth-most among AL shortstops.

Bad defense on his part would be a hard thing for the Royals to live with on a day-to-day basis. Instead, Defensive Runs Saved rates him as the fourth-best shortstop in MLB, while Outs Above Average has him as the second-best defender at any position.

Bobby shows off the range! pic.twitter.com/PP325ys98o

— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) July 3, 2024

For his part, Judge does have some years as an elite defender in his track record. But in 2024, he's basically hovering around average for a team that prefers the strikeout anyway.

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The Case for Witt's Narrative

Even with all of this said, to distill Witt's MVP case down to his statistics is to miss the point. Or at least, only get half of it.

There's a story at play here, too. And it's pretty cool.

Which brings us to what I swear will be the last numbers I'm going to throw at you, though I'm going to put them in "Thing 1" and "Thing 2" disguises:

• Thing 1: From 71.2 to 99.4
• Thing 2: From 13.1 to 60.2

In focus here are FanGraphs playoff odds from the start of the season vs. the current day. Thing 1 is for the Yankees, whose chances have increased 40 percent. Thing 2 is for the Royals, whose chances have increased 360 percent.

In other words, the Yankees are where they were expected to be, while the Royals are where anyone could have only hoped they would be.

Even setting aside the payroll disparity between these two clubs—hint: it's huge—there's power in the transformation the Royals have undertaken. It's certainly apparent in the attendance gains at Kauffman Stadium. The fans ostensibly show up to see the Royals, generally, but it's no secret that they want to see Witt, specifically.

As one fan told Mike Lupica of MLB.com: "You never know if a kid like this is going to come along. But if you're a baseball fan, what keeps you going is the hope that someday a player like Bobby will come along again."

As Witt has had a better three-year start than literally any Royal in history, it's a miracle that a player like him has come around even once. And now more than ever, it sure feels like he's come for the express purpose of restoring the franchise's glory.

For this, he already deserves the MVP. And the longer he keeps it up, the more he'll deserve it.

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Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference, FanGraphs and Baseball Savant.

One of baseball's brightest stars will be on display at the 2024 MLB Home Run Derby.

MLB announced that Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. is officially in the field for the 2024 Derby. This will be the first time he participates in a Home Run Derby.

He wants to go fast and hit home runs!@Royals superstar Bobby Witt Jr. is in for the #HRDerby!

(MLB x @TMobile) pic.twitter.com/3Czoj1OeJE

— MLB (@MLB) July 8, 2024

See you all in Texas.. #HRDerby ⭐️ pic.twitter.com/7KmxIZaEks

— Bobby Witt Jr (@BwittJr) July 8, 2024

He joins a field that already consists of Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson, Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm and New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso.

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It will be a homecoming for Witt as he grew up in Coleyville, Texas, which is less than 20 miles away from Globe Life Field, where the event is being held. He said the opportunity to debut in the derby close to home is something he is looking forward to.

"I'm just going to enjoy it, and whatever happens, happens," Witt said, per Anne Rogers of MLB.com. "Just have fun being back in Texas."

It's safe to say that Witt has earned this opportunity. The 24-year-old is quickly rising to superstardom, with his 2024 season serving as his best season yet. He is currently hitting .324/.372/.564 with 15 home runs and 61 RBIs. He is on pace to beat his career highs in batting average (.276), home runs (30) and RBI (96) and is an MVP candidate in the AL.

His strong play has also been huge for the Royals, as the team is a playoff contender. Kansas City is currently 49-43 and sit just outside the third Wild Card spot. This comes from a franchise that went 56-106 in 2023 and has not reached the postseason since it's 2015 World Series title.

Witt will get the chance to showcase his talents on a major stage at the Derby before embarking on a crucial second half with the Royals.

The 2024 Home Run Derby is set for Monday, July 15.

The Kansas City Royals reportedly targeted Luis Arráez in a trade before the Miami Marlins sent him to the San Diego Padres.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported the Royals checked in as recently as last week, but the Marlins felt San Diego's offer was too good to pass up.

The Padres sent a massive prospect haul of Dillon Head, Jakob Marsee, Nathan Martorella, and Woo-suk Go to Miami in exchange for Arráez over the weekend. Arráez was the NL batting champion in each of his two seasons with the Marlins and is hitting .311/.354/.385 this season.

His ability to hit for average has already drawn comparisons to former Padres slugger Tony Gwynn.

"It was a sight to behold,'' Padres manager Mike Shildt said. "What a talent. … It's hard to have a comp to Tony Gwynn, but if there is one in our modern game, now we have him on our team. And that just feels right.''

Arráez does not hit for much power, draw many walks or steal many bases. His player profile is almost the anthesis of modern baseball, which emphasizes power hitting and walks. Arráez is effective enough as a contact hitter that no hitting coach would ever try changing the way he plays; he's the MLB equivalent of DeMar DeRozan, whose midrange brilliance continues despite the increased prevalence of the three ball.

There was no word on what the Royals were willing to offer for Arráez. It's unlikely Kansas City was willing to match the haul of prospects offered by the Padres, who some around baseball believe overpaid.

After leading the Kansas City Chiefs to their second straight Super Bowl title, head coach Andy Reid is set to lend his hand to another local team.

It was announced on Tuesday that Reid will throw out the ceremonial first pitch on Opening Day for the Kansas City Royals when they begin their 2024 season against the Minnesota Twins on March 28:

Kansas City Royals said Chiefs head coach Andy Reid will throw out the first pitch on opening day.
📷 @Royals pic.twitter.com/qU5gRq8BZy

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 19, 2024

During the 2023 season, Reid assisted the Royals mascot Slugger as he threw the first pitch to the Philly Fanatic in fulfillment of a Super Bowl bet between Kansas City and the Philadelphia Phillies. This time around, Reid will be taking the ball himself.

Of note, Reid famously impressed when he participated in the punt, pass and kick competition in his younger days:

50 years ago today, Andy Reid was a head and shoulders above the rest of his punt, pass, and kick competition 😂@Chiefs pic.twitter.com/Yi992ibZ4O

— NFL Films (@NFLFilms) December 13, 2021

After throwing the first pitch, Reid will be handing the ball to Royals left-hander Cole Ragans, who was announced as the team's Opening Day starter on Sunday.

The Kansas City Royals offered a potential glimpse into the future as they unveiled Tuesday their plans for a new downtown stadium.

The venue would be situated close to T-Mobile Center and the Power & Light District. Team offices are incorporated into the site along with a hotel and other businesses.

We are excited to share our vision for the future of Royals baseball in the heart of Kansas City. pic.twitter.com/1t2Wcumyoa

— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) February 13, 2024

The design plans for a downtown @Royals stadium. pic.twitter.com/Kb7eV3y9Ye

— Tod Palmer (@todpalmer) February 13, 2024

In November 2022, Royals chairman John Sherman said the organization was exploring plans for a new stadium district, citing the age and cost to maintain Kauffman Stadium. To that end, team officials identified "several leading locations."

Last August, the Royals released renderings for prospective stadiums in East Village and North Kansas City.

We’re excited to share the future vision of Royals baseball.

For more images and to learn about the economic impact of a ballpark district in both the East Village and North Kansas City, please visit: https://t.co/Cuz4H6wWD1 pic.twitter.com/KWbomvOo8B

— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) August 22, 2023

By November, the search expanded to include the site of the old Kansas City Star printing press in downtown, and officials from Independence, Missouri, sketched out their own plans at the eleventh hour.

Royals ownership ultimately settled on the Star printing press site.

John Sherman: "I believe in my gut the timing is right for the #Royals to become residents of the Crossroads and neighbors to Power and Light, 18th and Vine, and Hospital Hill, helping to further connect the cultural center of our great city." pic.twitter.com/RqZueczJMV

— FanDuel Sports Network Kansas City (@FanDuelSN_KC) February 13, 2024

John Sherman provides more details on the #Royals' plans for a new downtown ballpark. pic.twitter.com/Xc1OZqEvTM

— FanDuel Sports Network Kansas City (@FanDuelSN_KC) February 13, 2024

Tuesday's announcement represents a step forward in the process toward constructing a new home for the Royals, but fully executing the vision remains far from a foregone conclusion.

The franchise is estimating the venture to cost $2 billion, but the Star's Mike Hendricks reported in October that local legislators were projecting out decades ahead to see the potential finances required of Jackson County taxpayers:

As with anything financed over time, be it a house or a car, the final amount paid is higher than the amount borrowed due to interest payments and inflation. Those assumptions were built into the projections on the spreadsheet that County Administrator Troy Schulte provided legislators.

The spreadsheet is based on a scenario in which county voters would extend for 40 years the current ⅜-cent sales tax that funds the most recent renovations at Kauffman and Arrowhead stadiums. The tax also pays the Royals and Chiefs millions of dollars a year to maintain the venues in good condition.

To that end, the estimates ranged from $4.4 billion to $6.4 billion over 40 years. Jonathan Ketz of Fox4 in Kansas City followed up in November to report the high-end projection had been lowered to $5.13 billion.

The Royals disputed the initial projections to Hendricks, calling them "erroneous, misleading, and inconsistent with what we've shared publicly and in private negotiations."

Sixth District Legislator Sean Smith also said some of the figures adjusted for inflation "look too high" but also questioned the Royals' plans for the public funding.

Alex Love of KCTV5 interviewed business owners in the Crossroads, the Royals' proposed site, who expressed concerns both for their businesses and how much building an MLB stadium there might alter the area.

"To put a stadium in this neighborhood would destroy this neighborhood as far as the culture built down here for the last 25 years," said Matt Adkins, who owns a liquor store. "It's going to displace so many businesses and neighbors."

Voters in Jackson County will go to the polls in April to decide whether they'll continue to pay a sales tax that supplies revenue to the Royals and Kansas City Chiefs. That sales tax has now become a referendum on whether voters want the new downtown stadium.

The Kansas City Royals and Bobby Witt Jr. have agreed to a contract extension that will pay him $288.8 million over 11 seasons, per ESPN's Jeff Passan.

Both the Royals and Witt confirmed the agreement on social media:

The present, the future, and the largest contract in franchise history. pic.twitter.com/LpcUGPpzkj

— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) February 5, 2024

🤝 @Royals pic.twitter.com/eDFEbWMrfx

— Bobby Witt Jr (@BwittJr) February 5, 2024

I am incredibly grateful to the Sherman family and the Royals front office for believing in me, and I promise to do everything in my power to help bring championship baseball back to Kansas City! Let’s go!! https://t.co/DG7Dvk4k0Y

— Bobby Witt Jr (@BwittJr) February 5, 2024

The deal will include potential opt-outs for Witt after the seventh, eighth, ninth and 10th seasons, per Passan, and a club option after the 11th season that would add three years and $89 million to the deal.

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com posted a year-by-year breakdown of Witt's contract:

Bobby Witt Jr.’s extension:

2024: $2M
2025: $7M
2026: $13M
2027: $19M
2028: $30M
2029: $35M
2030: $35M
2031: $35M - player option
2032: $35M - player option
2033: $35M - player option
2034: $35M - player option

Club option 3 years/$89M:
2035: $33M
2036: $28M
2037: $28M

— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) February 5, 2024

The only player to sign a more lucrative pre-arbitration extension in MLB history was Fernando Tatis Jr., who inked a 14-year, $340 million deal in 2021. Witt's deal, however, has the potential to eclipse that figure if the Royals opt into the final three years.

Granted, if Witt goes on to become one of the game's preeminent superstars, he may choose to opt out before that time, either seeking an even larger deal or potentially a more successful organization if the Royals don't turn things around.

The 23-year-old is one of the core pieces for a rebuilding organization that hasn't made the playoffs since winning the World Series in 2015 (and hasn't so much as had a winning season in that time).

Last season he hit .276 with 30 homers, 96 RBI, 97 runs, 49 stolen bases, an MLB-leading 11 triples and a .813 OPS. Not too shabby for just his second year in the big leagues, and excellent production from the shortstop position.

"This is a huge, huge deal."@JonHeyman gives details on Bobby Witt Jr.'s new monster extension with the @Royals. pic.twitter.com/aNr1icj70C

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) February 5, 2024

The Royals have been busy this offseason in an attempt to begin building a contender around Witt, signing starting pitchers Seth Lugo (three years, $45 million) and Michael Wacha (two years, $32 million); relievers Will Smith (one year, $5 million) and Chris Stratton (two years, $8 million); and outfielder Hunter Renfroe (two years, $13 million), among others.

Will that catapult the Royals to the top of the American League?

No, probably not. But with a certified superstar in Witt and an improved pitching staff, the Royals could be in the mix in an AL Central division that is devoid of powerhouse teams. Granted, the organization's other young talents need to take a jump for that to happen.

But the Royals are attempting to claw their way out of mediocrity. Witt is the centerpiece of that effort.

The Kansas City Royals have reportedly made "some progress" on a contract extension with shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., per the New York Post's Jon Heyman.

According to Heyman, the deal is "not done yet" and there is "no guarantee," but the two sides are working towards an extension. Witt made $745,700 in 2023, and now, the Royals are looking to extend the young talent.

Last season in his second MLB campaign, Witt hit at a .276 clip, notching 177 hits, 30 home runs and 96 RBIs.

The Royals have made a handful of moves already this offseason, signing Michael Wacha, Seth Lugo, Hunter Renfroe, Will Smith and Chris Stratton while dealing for Kyle Wright.

Now, Kansas City will look to make another big move by extending Witt, who is certainly on his way to becoming one of the league's best shortstops. The Royals would certainly have to pay a hefty price for Witt, but it would be well worth it for a player who could be the face of the franchise.

The Royals are coming off a disappointing 56-106 season that saw them miss the postseason for an eighth straight season, which is tied for the second-longest drought in baseball. Extending Witt, along with the rest of the Royals offseason moves, could help them end that drought next year.

Veteran starting pitcher Michael Wacha reportedly agreed to a two-year, $32 million deal with the Kansas City Royals, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN.

The right-hander became a free agent in November after the San Diego Padres declined a two-year, $32 million option in his contract and he promptly turned down a one-year, $6.5 million player option.

The decision was a little surprising on the club side if only because San Diego also had Blake Snell and Seth Lugo also hit the open market. That was 82 combined starts in 2023 going out the door.

A $16 million salary was also on the slightly higher end but not a major overpay who delivered what Wacha did on the mound. He went 14-4 with a 3.22 ERA and a 3.89 FIP in 134.1 innings.

The 32-year-old did tail off a bit as the season wore on. He sported a 2.84 ERA and a 1.074 WHIP through the first half and saw those numbers rise to 3.88 and 1.315, respectively, in his nine starts in the second half.

Wacha could be a regression candidate in 2024.

According to FanGraphs, opposing hitters had a .266 batting average on balls in play against him. While it was his second straight year with a sub-.270 BABIP (.260 in 2022), both are below his career average of .295.

His home and road splits might have been a consideration as well. Wacha had a a 2.62 ERA at traditionally pitcher-friendly Petco Park and a 4.07 ERA on the road.

The decline shouldn't be as steep as his run from 2019 to 2021, when Wacha combined to have a 5.11 ERA in 66 appearances. For the majority of his career, he has been a solid starter in the back half of the rotation.

Throw in the fact he has thrown 100-plus innings in all but 10 full seasons — excluding the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign — and he provides a solid baseline in terms of his value for Kansas City.

Amid their prolonged rebuild, the Royals have tried and failed to organically build a starting rotation that can catapult them into contention. By reuniting Wacha with former Padres teammate Lugo, they're banking a little more on ready-made talent in 2024.

Veteran pitcher Zack Greinke has reportedly "communicated to MLB teams that he's preparing to pitch in 2024 and is open to contract talks," according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network.

The 40-year-old made 27 starts for the Kansas City Royals in the 2023 season (30 total appearances), going 2-15 with a 5.06 ERA, 1.27 WHIP and 97 strikeouts in 142.1 innings.

Royals general manager J.J. Picollo had previously communicated to Morosi that Greinke was still deciding on his future.

In his prime, Greinke was one of the game's top starting pitchers, winning the AL Cy Young award in 2009, earning six All-Star Game bids and having the best ERA in the American League in 2009 (2.16) and in the National League in 2016 (1.66).

While those years are behind him, Greinke is still capable of chewing up decent innings at the bottom of a rotation. The Royals only won 56 games in total this past season, so Greinke's 15 losses this season aren't only indicative of his own form.

Granted, his ERA was his worst mark since 2005, his WHIP was well below his career average (1.17) and he failed to hit 100 strikeouts for the second year in a row. But returning for one last season would give him the chance to hit the 3,000-strikeout milestone, which is well within his reach (2,979).

The Royals, where Greinke spent the first seven years of his MLB career and also the last two seasons, will be the favorite to bring him back. The team isn't close to contention and isn't exactly brimming with young arms that would benefit from a rotation spot at this point, so Greinke could return as an innings-eater and feel-good story.

The veteran pitcher has long been one of the most interesting characters in the sport. It sounds as though the sport of baseball will get to enjoy him for one more season.