The Kansas City Royals are in free fall, going 2-8 over their last 10 games and falling completely out of contention, currently sitting 11.0 games out of a division whose leader is only seven games over .500. This paints a clear picture of a frustrated fanbase that has a growing worry when it comes to shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. The star infielder is in the middle of another great season, already collecting 67 hits and swiping 17 bases, with the pressure mounting.
Witt has so little help in the Kansas City lineup that it's fair to begin to question how long the Royals have before Witt's future could be in a new landing spot. While Witt's contract doesn't have an opt-out until the 2031 season, offering four years of remaining control, the franchise is handing its star every reason to consider the nuclear option and demand a trade.
This is a path that has become increasingly common, with both the NBA and NFL reaching new heights of player control that are slowly spreading to baseball as well. For Witt, the math is simple. The Royals have made the postseason just once during the infielder's tenure despite the massive offensive numbers the star has offered.
Royals should grow increasingly concerned about Bobby Witt Jr.'s future in KC
The Royals simply haven't shown any sense of urgency, appearing content to be in the lower half of the league when it comes to payroll, ranking 18th and nearly $200 million behind the league's top spender, according to Spotrac. While you cannot reasonably expect a team in KC's market to push the envelope this far, they have the revenue and draw to be doing far more than what they have in recent offseasons.
With this in mind, the level of failure that has been reached in the 2026 season should serve as a wake-up call for KC decision-makers moving forward. If you want to keep Witt and fully appreciate the generational talent you have rostered, it is time to make a healthy investment in improving a roster currently incapable of supporting its superstar.
Witt is deserving of this and would see the effort that Kansas City is making as a clear deterrent to consider forcing a trade or searching for a way out of a currently frustrating situation. Selfishly, the infielder has to wonder what numbers he would be capable of producing in a postseason-level lineup that offered viable protection and support.
The Royals have failed in the 2026 season, and there is no reversing the breakdown the year has been. Still, there is time to course correct and save the tenure of an underappreciated star that clearly needs more help if he is to remain a Royal for the rest of his contract.
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