SerpApi.Org
The Kansas City Royals are heading toward being sellers at this year's trade deadline regardless of how they perform over the next two weeks. This season has been a disaster due to a mix of both underperformance and injuries throughout the roster.
Despite the chaos in Kansas City, one constant has remained, and that is the play of shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. Now in his fifth season with the Royals, the 26-year-old has solidified himself as the best all-around player in the league.
He currently leads the American League in WAR at 4.9, a reflection of how excellent he is defensively and on the basepaths.
In the batter's box he has continued to deliver, posting a .279 batting average, .350 on-base percentage, .800 OPS, 13 home runs and 39 RBIs.
However, Witt's season has unfortunately been interrupted in the month of July due to recurring back tightness. The issue first surfaced this past Sunday when he was abruptly removed from the lineup.
He reappeared for Monday's series opener against the San Francisco Giants but was unable to finish the contest, being replaced in the sixth inning.
On Tuesday, he was once again out of the lineup. Royals manager Matt Quatraro provided the latest update on his condition, saying that his back is "still pretty stiff" and that he is dealing with back spasms (h/t Anne Rogers of MLB.com).
Quatraro announced the team has decided to wait for the spasms to calm down before determining next steps and that they will be cautious with him moving forward.
Given that the Royals are likely missing out on postseason contention, it makes sense not to risk a further injury with Witt and simply allow him to make a full recovery.
He is the engine of this team not just for this year but for the next decade, and his long-term health matters far more than anything that happens in the remaining weeks of a lost season.
