Here’s why Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr. may be poised for a strong finish to his rookie year
Kansas City Royals general manager J.J. Picollo appears to have correctly predicted the type of finishing kick from rookie phenom Bobby Witt Jr. that would make an elite runner blush.
During the Royals’ previous road trip, Picollo said of Witt’s rookie season in an interview with The Star, “I still think there’s going to be a stretch here where he really takes off.”
Well, Witt has shown signs of the predicted late-season surge. In his last 12 games entering Friday, Witt has an .909 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage). He had at least one hit in 11 of those 12 games, including eight extra-base hits — four home runs — and 10 runs scored.
Witt, 22, entered Thursday’s series finale against the Chicago White Sox leading all rookies this season in extra-base hits (47), stolen bases (26), RBIs (66) and runs scored (tied, 67). He also ranked among the leaders in doubles (tied for second, 22), hits (tied for second, 117) and homers (second, 19).
Witt, MLB.com’s No. 1 overall prospect prior to the season, is tied with Royals star Salvador Perez for the team lead in home runs.
During the club’s recent homestand, a reporter mentioned the home run race to Perez.
A seven-time All-Star and four-time Silver Slugger Award winner, Perez claimed he wasn’t even aware, but then added, “You guys know Bobby. He’s a great player. It’s just the first year. I think after this year, he’s going to hit 30, 35 every year. He’s going to be one of the best players we’re going to have here in Kansas City.”
Last season in the minors, Witt slashed .292/.385/.573 in September (23 games) for Triple-A Omaha. He belted five home runs and 10 doubles and also drove in 11 runs during that stretch.
Hamstring problems behind him
Health should be a big contributing factor for Witt in the final weeks of the season.
While he didn’t go on the injured list, Witt scuffled through a hamstring injury at the end of July.
Witt missed several games and then eased into playing time when he did return to the field, including serving as designated hitter the first two games back as well as having two days off in his first week back.
“I’ve been just kind of working through some things and just trying to get back to just being comfortable, getting back to being myself and just go have fun, compete,” Witt said last week of his recent offensive resurgence.
In a 15-game stretch after the hamstring ailment popped up and forced Witt to come out of a game in the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Kauffman Stadium on July 24, Witt slashed .207/.246/.259 with just one extra-base hit.
“You’ve got to learn how to fail and learn how to learn from failing too,” Witt said. “That’s, I think, the biggest thing for me. I think it’s a good thing for everyone to go through it, the ups and downs, and just try to overcome it as quick as possible and just kind of keep moving on.”
Part of the reason Royals manager Mike Matheny played Witt at third base more entering August was to limit his lateral movement coming off of the hamstring injury.
Witt playing third also made more logistical sense after the Royals recalled second baseman Michael Massey and bumped Nicky Lopez over to shortstop more regularly.
“We’re all going through some stuff,” Lopez said during the last homestand. “These are the dog days of the summer. We’re all pretty beat up so to speak. So we’re all grinding. But Bob is obviously making that step. He had a tough hamstring injury that he was dealing with, but I think he’s obviously getting through that.”
Named last year’s Minor League Player of the Year by Baseball America and USA Today, Witt has nearly played as many games this season (121) as he played last year in the minors (123), his only full-length season in the minors.
Witt enters the weekend series in Detroit slashing .251/.291/.444 with 19 home runs, 66 RBIs and 19 home runs in 121 games. He’s one home run shy of joining Carlos Beltran as just the second Royals rookie with a 20-homer, 20-steal season.
The last AL rookie with at least as many as 19 home runs and 26 stolen bases was Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout, who hit 30 home runs and stole 49 bases in 139 games in 2012.
Seattle’s breakout star rookie outfielder Julio Rodriguez, the favorite for AL Rookie of the Year, had 22 homers and 23 stolen bases entering Friday.
