Bobby Witt Jr. is off to a scorching start for the Kansas City Royals, and the league just took notice. The star shortstop was named American League Player of the Week, but true to his team-first mentality, he quickly turned the spotlight away from himself.
"It's awesome and we're winning some baseball games with it, too," Witt said on MLB Network Wednesday. "That's obviously the ultimate goal, just to go out there and win. I feel like when you're trying to do that, these things kind of just happen."
That humble admission speaks volumes about the 24-year-old's approach. While individual hardware is nice, Witt's focus remains squarely on helping the Royals climb the standings. And it's not like he's a stranger to accolades—Witt already boasts Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Awards from both 2024 and 2025, and he's finished in the top seven of AL MVP voting in three of his four big-league seasons. Many believe this could finally be the year he takes home the top prize.
Through 42 games, Witt is proving why. He's slashing .305/.372/.491 with six home runs, 12 stolen bases, 11 doubles, and 20 RBI, all while playing elite defense at one of the game's most demanding positions. It's the kind of all-around performance that wins Player of the Week honors—and, potentially, much more down the road.
Still, the Royals are a work in progress. Kansas City dropped a tight 6-5 game to the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday, falling to 19-24 on the season. That puts them in fourth place in the AL Central, though they're just four games back of the first-place Cleveland Guardians. After dropping the first two games of this series, the Royals will turn to Kris Bubic on Thursday to try and avoid a sweep.
For Witt, the message is clear: the awards are nice, but winning is everything. And as long as he keeps playing at this level, both will keep coming.