I’m a little late to the party on this one. This blog did not begin until March and by then, one of my favorite offseason stories took place at the beginning of February. Bobby Witt, Jr., the young, superstar shortstop with the Kansas City Royals, signed a massive contract extension with his team that lasts well into the next decade. For a franchise that has struggled since their 2015 World Series victory, this signing represents the building block to the next great Royals era.
OK, so a lot still has to go right for Kansas City, which is coming of a rough 2023 season. It is still a smaller market franchise that will not spend lavishly on free agents. However, the Witt signing is just another indication that the Royals will spend money on their own players. A decade ago, it was Alex Gordon. More recently, it was Salvador Perez. The extension with Witt is by far the richest contract in the organization’s history and it shows their fanbase that they are committed to start the process of becoming competitive for the next ten years. This offseason, in addition to the Witt news, Kansas City signed a number of proven veterans such as Seth Lugo, Hunter Renfroe, Michael Wacha and Will Smith (the pitcher). They will most certainly improve on their 56 win season from a year ago but will it elevate them to playoff contender?
With 30 home runs and 49 stolen bases a year ago, Witt is one of the most exciting players in Major League Baseball. At the end of this contract, he may be considered no worse than the second best player in franchise history behind George Brett. If he leads the Kansas City more than one World Series title, maybe we can debate who is the greatest Royal of them all.
Threeunassisted 