KC Royals superstar Bobby Witt Jr. relishes 1st MLB playoffs: ‘A special moment’

The Kansas City Royals made a major investment in Bobby Witt Jr. this past offseason by offering the superstar shortstop a massive contract extension.

Witt signed a 14-year deal (11 years guaranteed) worth $288.7 million to remain with the organization for the long haul. In turn, the Royals built their future around Witt and the promise that he could lift the franchise to baseball’s greatest heights.

“He was going to be here anyway — I don’t think that was going to change this year relatively,” Royals owner John Sherman told The Star late Friday night. “But I think what it told other players is this is place where you want to come play, where we have a superstar finally.”

Witt has exceeded the Royals’ expectations.

He became an All-Star and American League MVP candidate and etched his name in club record books. He became the first shortstop in Major League Baseball history with multiple 30-30 seasons. There’s a chance he’ll even win the AL batting title.

Witt is reaching a new stratosphere with such accomplishments. And now he can savor the return on his hard work, in the form of a well-earned trip to the postseason.

“This is a special moment and something I dreamed of my entire life,” Witt said. “You’ve got to take it all in and enjoy it.”

Witt was 15 years old when the Royals last reached the playoffs. In 2015, he was starring for the Colleyville Heritage High School baseball team in Texas.

The Royals had just polished off consecutive World Series appearances with their first championship 30 seasons.

Nearly a decade later, Witt and the Royals are looking to re-create that postseason magic. It’s a different squad now, of course, one filled with such longtime big-league veterans as Tommy Pham, Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha, among others.

Team captain Salvador Perez is the lone holdover from the glory years of 2014 and 2015, when the Royals won back-to-back AL pennants. Perez recalls vividly the joys of that 2015 season and has longed to experience the playoffs again.

Witt did all he could to make that happen for Perez. He has valued Perez’s leadership and supportive nature since his own call-up to the big leagues on opening day in 2022.

“We do it for the fans of Kansas City, we do it for Salvy and we do it for everyone in this clubhouse,” Witt said. “We’re just so proud of everyone. This is just the beginning of something special.”

Perez agreed. He cherishes every moment he’s spent playing with Witt, watching his meteoric rise.

“I wanted him to feel what it’s like to be in the playoffs,” Perez said. “He is the best player that I ever played with and he deserves to be here.”

The Royals enter the playoffs as a wild-card team and Witt is ready to shine on the national stage.

“This isn’t ideally how we wanted it to be,” Witt said of getting into the postseason despite Friday’s loss to the Braves. “But we are here. We did it and we are proud of each and every one (on the team).

“We can’t let one game control our season. We’ve got to keep getting better and keep riding each other. One day at a time. Control what we can control and enjoy the moment.”