KC Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. caps epic week with special American League honor

Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. concluded his All-Star-studded week with a top award.

On Monday, Witt was named American League Player of the Week. He hit .818 (9-for-11) with four runs, one home run and three RBIs. He recorded three hits in each game of the Royals’ three-game sweep of the Chicago White Sox at Kauffman Stadium.

“He’s got a sense of what they (opposing teams) are trying to do and he’s taken what’s given to him,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “And, he is not trying to do too much unless he gets that mistake.”

Witt began the second half of the 2024 season on a high note. On July 19, he blasted a solo home run off White Sox starter Chris Flexen. The homer sailed into the left-field seats — reminiscent of his aerial display during last week’s All-Star Home Run Derby.

Witt produced at every turn during the Chicago series, registering a 2.015 OPS (on-base plus slugging) against the Royals’ AL Central rivals.

“Bob was fantastic,” Royals outfielder Hunter Renfroe said. “He was swinging the bat incredibly well every day, it seems like.”

Witt has won the weekly AL award twice this season. He was recognized for the week of May 20-26 and now joins fellow All-Stars Shohei Ohtani, Juan Soto and Aaron Judge as the only players to win multiple Player of the Week awards this season.

Additionally, Witt became the first Royal since former designated hitter Kendrys Morales (in 2016) to receive the award twice in a single season.

Earlier last week, Witt appeared in his first All-Star Game. He returned to Globe Life Field, which is 20 miles from his hometown in Colleyville, Texas, to represent the Royals in the 94th Midsummer Classic.

And he put on a royal showcase. Witt finished second in the Home Run Derby after a dramatic final round. The next day he joined KC teammates Seth Lugo, Cole Ragans and Salvador Perez in the sixth inning of the All-Star Game.

A national All-Star audience was receptive to Witt’s appearances last week. He was serenaded as a hometown hero with chants of “Bob-by!”

Now, with a second AL Player of the Week award in a season with plenty of weeks to go, he’s padding his impressive resume while helping the Royals pursue an end to their postseason drought.