Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. falls short of starting nod for All-Star Game
Kansas City Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. finished just shy of becoming the American League’s starting shortstop for the July 15 All-Star Game.
Witt finished second behind Athletics rookie phenom Jacob Wilson in the second phase of the All-Star fan vote. Wilson earned 52% of the vote, as revealed by ESPN on Wednesday night.
Witt garnered 48% in the final tally. But he still has a chance to make the AL All-Star roster. He will now rely on a combined vote from the players’ ballot.
MLB players will select 17 players (five starters, three relievers) and one backup for each position.
Another six spots will be selected by the commissioner’s office. There will be four pitchers and two position players chosen. The goal of the commissioner’s office is to ensure that every MLB team is represented with an All-Star.
Witt should have a strong chance to earn his second All-Star appearance. Through Tuesday, he was hitting .286 with 11 home runs, 45 RBIs and 22 stolen bases. He also leads the majors with 30 doubles.
Witt appeared in the 2024 All-Star Game. He also participated in last year’s Home Run Derby at Globe Life Field, which is a short drive from his hometown of Colleyville, Texas.
The Royals have some other intriguing All-Star reserve candidates. There are cases to be made for third baseman Maikel Garcia and pitchers Kris Bubic and Carlos Estévez.
Garcia owns the sixth-best batting average in the league. He is hitting .309 with eight home runs and 39 RBIs. He also has a .843 OPS (on-base plus slugging) this season.
Bubic has been the top pitcher in the Royals’ starting rotation. He has a 2.25 ERA in 16 starts, which ranks sixth among qualified pitchers. Estévez, the Royals’ closer, ranks third among major-league relievers with 23 saves in 26 opportunities.
Major League Baseball will reveal the 2025 All-Star reserves on Sunday night. The coverage begins at 4 p.m. Central Time on ESPN.
The July 15 All-Star Game will take place at Truist Park in Atlanta.
