Nothing speaks stardom like the young Kansas City Royals Star Bobby Witt Jr. He already has notched the first-ever back-to-back 30/30 seasons as a shortstop. Witt will likely continue to signify his legacy as one of the best shortstops in MLB. However, as the season ends, the Royals have been abysmal, losing seven straight and falling victim to a Detroit Tigers surge. As a result of his and the Royal’s rough September, Bobby Witt Jr. may be losing any shot at AL MVP.
Bobby Witt Jr. Has Not Done Well Enough in September
Sure, the Royals are in a good position to make the playoffs. However, they have gone from nearly 20 games above .500 to just 8. The Royals also have failed massively to fend off the surging Detroit Tigers, who have clawed (pun intended) their way back to tying the Royals. Bobby Witt Jr. has been great every month of the season until September. This month has seen Witt slug three home runs with a .282 average, marking the only month Witt has not hit at least .292.
The blame doesn’t fall on Witt, who still leads the majors in runs and average. Yet, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. does not sit far behind Witt, as Guerrero is hitting .327, and Witt is hitting .334. Without a leading average, Witt does not have much of an argument for the MVP, as Aaron Judge has begun to solidify his position. Judge himself is hitting .323 with 55 home runs after the end of the notorious “Paw Patrol curse.” Now, Judge is favored primarily over Witt. And Witt is not without additional competition, as other players in the AL have an excellent power and speed combo.
MLB fWAR Leaders:
Aaron Judge (10.4)
Bobby Witt Jr. (10.1)
Gunnar Henderson (8.0)
Juan Soto (8.0)
Shohei Ohtani (7.9) pic.twitter.com/6rt3vjaSJi— Dillard Barnhart (@BarnHasSpoken2) September 22, 2024
José Ramírez May Have Surpassed Witt in the MVP Race
Cleveland Guardians slugger José Ramírez may have a more significant argument at this point than Witt. Despite trailing Witt in average, Ramírez continues to have more homers, RBI and steals than Witt. He isn’t far from a 40/40 season but would have to hit three home runs in the final five games to do so. Ramírez has outgained Witt in most categories. However, Witt has more runs scored, the highest average in MLB, and a fantastic glove. Regardless, the MVP is often given to the most influential player in the league. Usually, MVPs play for playoff teams, and although the importance of Witt is excellent to the Royals, Kansas City may lose its playoff position to other teams fighting hard to obtain it, such as the Minnesota Twins and Tigers.
The reality remains that a player like José Ramírez is precious to his team. The Guardians have clinched the AL Central after a disappointing 2023 campaign. Ramírez, Josh Naylor, and others have led the Guardians to a great season.
Does Bobby Witt Jr. deserve the AL MVP? A week after it looked like he might give Judge a serious challenge, the Royals’ abysmal month is making the AL MVP look like only a dream for Witt. One thing is for sure, however, the Royals still need Witt more than anything.
Photo Credit: © Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
