Kansas City Royals superstar Bobby Witt Jr. received some reassuring news after being struck on the left forearm by a 96 mph fastball during a game on Wednesday. According to ESPN Insider Jeff Passan, sources confirmed that Witt did not suffer a broken bone. While there’s no exact timeline for his return, he is not expected to miss significant time.
Witt has been one of the most durable players in Major League Baseball, playing at least 150 games in each of his first three seasons. Last year, he appeared in 161 of 162 games, making this early spring training scare a relief for both Witt and the Royals. “It was scary in the moment,” Witt admitted. “But anytime something like that happens, it’s always scary. You never know what the results are going to be. But if it was October, April, or March 27, I’d be good.”
The Royals later confirmed on X (formerly Twitter) that Witt was diagnosed with a forearm contusion and no fracture was found. Witt responded with a thumbs-up emoji, signaling his optimism about the situation. This is a huge relief for Kansas City, as Witt is coming off a career-defining 2024 season. He posted a 9.4 WAR (second only to Aaron Judge’s 10.8), won the American League batting title with a .332 average, led the league in hits (211), and earned both a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger award. He also finished as the runner-up in AL MVP voting behind Judge.
In 2024, Witt set career highs in home runs (32), doubles (45), and triples (11, tying his previous best). He also recorded 109 RBIs, a .389 on-base percentage, and a .977 OPS. His stellar performance helped the Royals achieve an 86-76 record and secure their first playoff appearance since 2015.
Kansas City is aiming to make the postseason in consecutive years for the first time since their back-to-back World Series runs in 2014 and 2015, and Witt’s health will be crucial to that goal. The Royals surprised many in 2024 by finishing second in the AL Central and sweeping the Baltimore Orioles in the American League Wild Card Round. They also put up a strong fight in the AL Divisional Series before falling to the New York Yankees in four games.
For the Royals to return to the postseason, Witt will need to replicate his 2024 success. Fortunately, it seems like this early scare won’t derail his momentum, and fans can breathe a sigh of relief knowing their star player is on the mend.
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