This story was excerpted from Anne Rogers’ Royals Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
KANSAS CITY -- Bobby Witt Jr. has proven himself to be a perennial All-Star with two consecutive appearances so far, blossoming into one of the best players in baseball since his Major League career began in 2022.
It’s hard to believe that he hasn’t started one of those two All-Star appearances, instead losing out to Gunnar Henderson in 2024 and Jacob Wilson in ‘25, but that is likely changing this year.
“He deserves it,” starter Michael Wacha said. “I know it comes down to a fan vote, but he’s proven it year after year that he’s top of the league at that position. He’s more than deserving of being in that spot when the All-Star Game starts.”
Witt is clearly a deserving candidate to be the American League’s starting shortstop at the All-Star Game in Philadelphia on July 14. He’s putting together another great season statistically. He’s one of the stars of the game, especially after suiting up for Team USA as its starting shortstop in the World Baseball Classic, and fans are recognizing all of that by naming Witt one of two finalists for the All-Star starting shortstop spot alongside the Blue Jays’ Andrés Giménez.
Phase 2 of the voting opened on Monday and runs through Thursday at 11 a.m. CT. Fans can vote once per day at MLB.com/vote, all 30 team sites, the MLB app or the MLB Ballpark app.
In Tuesday’s voting update, Witt was leading with 72% of the vote over Giménez (28%). If that holds, Witt would become the third Royals shortstop to start the Midsummer Classic, joining Freddie Patek (1978) and Alcides Escobar (2015).
“I just want to say thank you to the fans for just getting me to this spot,” Witt said. “That’s an honor to be in this position. Any time you get an opportunity like that, it’s special. I can’t control it. Just got to keep going out there, play a game, win some games, and see what happens.”
While the Royals have struggled in the win column in a frustrating season, Witt continues to put up All-Star numbers. The 26-year-old has posted a .294/.367/.479 slash line so far this season, leads the American League with 28 stolen bases, is tied for second with 20 doubles and has hit 12 homers, including two on Tuesday night to mark his first multi-homer game since Aug. 7, 2024. His 4.5 fWAR leads all AL players and ranks second in MLB behind Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong (5.0). Witt entered Tuesday tied with Crow-Armstrong and Cardinals second baseman JJ Wetherholt for the Major League lead with 15 Outs Above Average, which makes Witt the best defensive shortstop in baseball by that metric.
Witt has had to manage more aches and pains this season, first knee soreness earlier this month and then recently a Grade 1 MCL sprain in his right knee that kept him out of the lineup for six games last week, which felt like an eternity for a player who wants to play every single day no matter what. But he seems to have avoided the worst and is getting back to playing his style of baseball now.
“Just being able to get more comfortable with being myself is the biggest thing, I think,” Witt said. “With how I play the game, just knowing that I can go out there and just do it and see what happens.”
Witt is hoping he can get the injuries fully behind him and heat up now moving forward. We’ve seen a scorching Witt at the plate before and where it can take the Royals.
And if Witt keeps doing what he’s doing, it’ll likely take him to Philly for the All-Star Game.
“He’s exceptionally deserving,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “I think that would be a great way for him to get his first start with the fans voting him in.”