Witt Jr. is having a season for the ages in Kansas City.
In a season dominated by big names and bigger stats, the race for the American League MVP is heating up, and a new contender has emerged from the heartland: Bobby Witt Jr.
Witt Jr. has been nothing short of spectacular, leading the majors in key categories like runs , batting average , hits , and total bases . Wednesday night’s performance at Kauffman Stadium was another testament to his rising star power. Witt homered twice and delivered a clutch, go-ahead two-run double in the Royals’ 8-4 victory over the Boston Red Sox, a win that kept Kansas City firmly in the hunt for a wild-card spot.
What sets Witt apart is his defensive range. The 23-year-old ranks at the top of the league with 16 outs above average among shortstops who have played at least 650 innings, making him one of the most valuable players by advanced metrics like WAR. According to FanGraphs, Witt edges out Judge 7.5 to 7.3 in WAR, though Baseball-Reference tips the scales slightly in Judge’s favor at 7.9 to 7.5. The numbers are close, and the debate is getting louder.
With 22 home runs, 84 RBIs, and a 1.000 OPS, Witt is proving that he’s not just a flash in the pan. His .349 batting average is 17 points higher than any other player in the American League, and he’s maintained a blistering pace, hitting over .500 during a 25-game stretch in July and continuing to rake into August.
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