ST. PETERSBURG -- Bobby Witt Jr.’s right knee injury has still not healed enough for him to play for the Royals.
Witt was not in the club’s starting lineup for Wednesday’s 5-3 loss to the Rays at Tropicana Field, and then was held out again during Thursday's 13-2 loss, marking six straight games he has been on the bench since suffering a Grade 1 MCL sprain during Kansas City's win over the Cardinals on June 18.
Witt went through on-field drills prior to each of the team's four games against the Rays, often while wearing a knee brace. Witt said on Wednesday that his knee has "been better every day." When manager Matt Quatraro was asked Thursday if Witt will be in the lineup for Friday's series opener against the White Sox, he said, "That's my hope, yes."
"We have to understand what the brace is going to do and how he feels," Quatraro said Wednesday. "That communication with Bobby is paramount."
Along with Witt, the Royals have been without first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino for the past 11 days due to a fractured bone in his right hand. The team also placed third baseman Maikel Garcia on the injured list Tuesday due to a left hand muscle strain that has bothered him for about a month.
In spite of those injuries, the Royals’ offense entered Thursday with the Majors' second-most runs (127) and fifth-best OPS (.801) during the month of June.