Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. nearly equaled George Brett, others in this feat vs. Orioles
Kansas City Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. continues to flirt with baseball history.
Witt was on hit-for-the-cycle watch Sunday against the Baltimore Orioles at Kauffman Stadium. It’s the 11th time in his pro career that he’s come within one hit of achieving the milestone.
No Royals player has hit for the cycle since George Brett in 1990. That’s the longest current drought — 5,412 days and counting — in the majors.
Witt nearly put an end to it during the Royals’ 4-1 win. He began Sunday’s game with a triple, which is customarily the hardest hit to obtain. He hit a double in the second inning and a single in his third at-bat.
All Witt needed was the home run. And he has proven very capable of hitting baseballs out of Kauffman Stadium.
But the Royals’ offense stalled late. Witt led off the seventh inning but struck out against reliever Seranthony Dominguez. He was called out on an 88.1 mph sweeper down the middle of the plate.
The Royals couldn’t flip over their lineup, so Witt did not get a fifth at-bat. But he did collect his 41st game with three or more hits.
The elusive cycle remains at large for the time being.
“In some ways, it’s luck,” Witt said. “But in some ways, you just let the game happen.”
Witt impressed his teammates with his performance Sunday. Royals starter Kris Bubic continues to marvel at his teammate’s elite talent on the field.
“I mean, the way he plays, we know he is doing something historic probably every night,” Bubic said. “You know nothing really that I watch (him to) ceases to amaze me, whether he is doing stuff on the field or doing stuff at the plate, getting close to the cycle.
“Any time he puts the ball in play or gets in the gap, you kind of know he is thinking three bags right away. It’s often the toughest leg to get in the cycle. He’s going to continue to be the catalyst in this lineup and he is going to do big things the rest of this season.”
Witt last approached the cycle last August, in a game against the Cincinnati Reds. This time, he had all the elements but the home run. It’s the first time he’s fallen just a homer short.
Witt will no doubt have many more chances to join Brett — and Frank White, who like Brett hit for the cycle not once but twice, as well as Freddie Patek and John Mayberry — in the Royals’ record books.
“You can’t take for granted that anybody gets three hits in a major-league game,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “And for Bobby to do that, how many times so far, is pretty remarkable.”
The Royals (4-5) open a series against the Minnesota Twins on Monday at Kauffman Stadium.
This story was originally published April 6, 2025 at 6:14 PM.
