The Kansas City Royals have a true superstar in Bobby Witt Jr., but baseball is a team sport, and it takes a village to succeed. As such, and given their small-market status, speculation and rumors will always be a part of the equation.
Witt just earned his third consecutive All-Star selection. He's already made back-to-back All-MLB first-teams and has won two of each a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards. Barring a shocking turn of events, he'll add more to his tally at the end of this season.
Nevertheless, Witt's stellar play hasn't done much to help his team. The Royals reached the All-Star break sitting on a 38-59 record and fifth place in the AL Central. That's why one can only wonder how long it will take for Witt to force his way out.
The Royals must do right by Bobby Witt Jr. before it's too late
We've seen this story countless times before. A superstar commits to a small-market team, only to watch his prime years go to waste. Individual success is nice and all, but true competitors want to win at the highest level.
Witt signed a mammoth 11-year, $288.8 million contract that could become a 14-year, $377 million deal, depending on options on the back end of the pact. Clearly, the young superstar is committed to the organization and the community, but that can only last for so long.
Technically, the Royals can still turn things around this season. They play in one of the weakest divisions in baseball, and they could get back on track with the right moves before the Aug. 3 trade deadline, especially given their reluctance to trade Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha.
General Manager J.J. Picollo can also decide to stay put and regroup in the offseason, but he and his front office staff must come up with a plan to maximize their 26-year-old shortstop. Otherwise, they're doing a disservice to one of the most talented players to enter the league in the past couple of decades, and what was once a happy marriage could turn sour pretty fast.
Careers go by fast, and Witt can find himself in Mike Trout territory if the Royals continue to waste his talents. Trading him would be tricky, given his ever-growing salary, which will top $30 million in 2028 and continue rising through 2034. And if we're being honest, trading Witt would only incense such a dedicated fanbase and might even cause dissent within the locker room.
Once again, Witt has been the lone bright spot in Kansas City, slashing .286/.355/.461 with an .816 OPS, 103 hits, 22 doubles, 13 home runs, 39 RBI's, and an American League-leading 30 stolen bases, and a 4.9 WAR. He's just too good to be stuck on a poor ballclub, and generational players deserve better.
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