The Kansas City Royals have placed their star shortstop, Bobby Witt Jr., on the 10-day injured list due to lower back tightness. This move comes as a bit of a surprise, given Witt's stellar performance this season and his potential MVP case. At 42-60, the Royals have the second-worst record in the American League and are headed into the trade deadline as sellers. Witt, a 26-year-old All-Star, has been a bright spot for the team, slashing .279/.350/.450 with 13 home runs and stealing 30 bases. He's also playing elite shortstop defense and is valued at nearly five wins above replacement by FanGraphs and Baseball-Reference.
What makes this particularly fascinating is the impact of Witt's absence on the team's dynamics and the MVP race. With a 10-day absence, Witt might be able to recover and maintain his MVP case, but if he misses even a few weeks, he'll have some serious ground to make up on other candidates like Yordan Alvarez, Dillon Dingler, and Junior Caminero. The Royals will have to rely on a committee of shortstops, including Tyler Tolbert, Nick Loftin, Josh Rojas, and the newly selected Andrew Velazquez, to fill the void.
Velazquez, a 32-year-old infielder, hasn't appeared in the majors since a 2022-23 stint with the Angels. He's played in 275 big league games and has an anemic .189/.244/.293 batting line. However, he's a strong infield defender and runs well, hitting a combined .270/.333/.370 in 230 plate appearances between the Triple-A affiliates for Arizona and Kansas City this season. Velazquez's addition to the roster opens a 40-man spot for the Royals, who have transferred righty Stephen Kolek from the 15-day IL to the 60-day IL due to a flexor strain.
Kolek, who has a 4.13 ERA in 213 1/3 major league innings between San Diego and Kansas City, is expected to miss the rest of the season. If he's able to avoid surgery and return healthy in 2027, he'll be a depth option at the back of the rotation or in the bullpen. The Royals can control Kolek, whom they acquired from the Padres in last summer's Freddy Fermin trade, through the 2030 season.
In my opinion, the Royals' decision to place Witt on the injured list is a strategic move, given their poor record and the need to rebuild. However, it also raises questions about the team's ability to compete in the short term and the long-term implications for Witt's MVP case. What makes this situation particularly interesting is the interplay between the team's record, Witt's performance, and the MVP race. It's a reminder that in baseball, as in life, nothing is ever quite as it seems.
