It’s Game 3 and Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. still seeks 1st ALDS hit vs. Yankees

Bobby Witt Jr. said he’d make this deal with himself every time.

“If I go back to spring training and say, ‘I’m 0-for-10 but in a series that’s 1-1 with the New York Yankees,’” the superstar shortstop said Wednesday afternoon, “I’ll take that 100 times out of 100.”

That’s where things stand heading into Game 3 of the American League Division Series. The scene shifts to Kansas City now for two games after the Royals and Yankees split the first two games in New York.

Game 4 is set for Thursday at Kauffman Stadium, and Game 5, if necessary, would be back in New York Saturday.

Witt., who led baseball in batting at .332 this season, is looking to break out of an ALDS slump. He came into this series following a productive two-game Wild Card sweep at Baltimore, where he went 3-for-9 and drove in the winning run in both games.

According to Elias, Witt became the second player in major-league history to drive in the winning runs in his first two playoff games. The other? Hall of Famer Jimmy Foxx of the Philadelphia Athletics in 1929

Things didn’t go as well in New York, as Witt went 0-for-5 in each game. He struck out four times, including three times in Game 2. That happened only twice for Witt during the regular season.

“Nothing needs to change too much,” he said. “I’ve got to take things one pitch at a time and not worry about results.”

It’s helped that the rest of the Royals’ lineup has picked him up, especially in Game 2 Monday. Maikel Garcia was 4 for 5 and Garrett Hampson had an RBI for the second straight game. Veterans and late-season acquisitions Tommy Pham and Yuli Gurriel had hits in both games.

“That’s why there are nine guys in the lineup,” Witt said. “You can’t put it all on one person. That’s how great this team is. It keeps the line moving. Sometimes it’s someone else, or someone else.”