There are plenty of ways to describe watching Kansas City Royals star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. play.
Teammate Michael Lorenzen keeps it simple: “It’s the real deal.”
After collecting three more hits on Friday to raise his major-league-leading batting average to .352, Witt has Kansas City hunting a series win entering its Saturday game against the host Cincinnati Reds.
The Royals won the opener of the three-game series 7-1 on Friday with ample help from Witt, who finished a triple shy of the cycle and clobbered his 25th home run of the season. He became the third Royal with 25 homers and 25 stolen bases in consecutive seasons, joining Bo Jackson (1988-89) and Carlos Beltran (2002-03).
Witt, a first-time All-Star this season, might be the American League’s leading MVP candidate if not for New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge’s torrid campaign.
Aside from leading the big leagues in batting average, runs (105) and hits (171), Witt also ranks among the game’s top three in RBIs (90) and OPS (1.021).
“It’s incredible,” said Lorenzen, who earned the win for Kansas City on Friday. “And just the way he goes about his business, too, it makes me have that much more respect for him.”
Witt has especially sizzled at the plate since June 30, batting .456 with 13 homers and a 1.337 OPS.
His approach? The same as that of his teammates, he said.
“Just attacking the pitcher and enjoying it. … Taking it pitch by pitch, day by day and trusting our process,” Witt said.
Witt and the Royals will dig in on Saturday against Cincinnati left-hander Nick Lodolo (9-4, 3.99 ERA), who will face Kansas City for the first time in his three-year career.
Lodolo last pitched on Sunday, when he surrendered three runs on three hits and three walks across 5 1/3 innings in a no-decision against the Milwaukee Brewers.
The Reds prevailed 4-3 in that game, triggering a four-game winning streak that ended on Friday. Cincinnati sits four games back of the National League’s final wild-card spot.
The Reds may be down a reliever on Saturday after right-hander Fernando Cruz threw 32 pitches and allowed four runs over two innings in the series opener.
Cruz pitched a scoreless eighth before faltering in the ninth, which raised his ERA to 5.47, a career-high for the third-year pitcher.
He has especially struggled since July 3, allowing 15 runs in 13 innings (10.38 ERA) across 18 outings.
“Fernando just has to continue to work,” Cincinnati manager David Bell said. “He’s had some really good signs the last few times out, and again, the (eighth) inning was excellent. Just a tough inning (in the ninth).”
The Reds managed only four hits on Friday, though Jonathan India went 1-for-2 with two walks and a run after snapping an 0-for-23 slump on Wednesday. The second baseman is 4-for-7 with two home runs and four RBIs over the past two games.
Cincinnati will look to break through on Saturday against Kansas City’s Michael Wacha (9-6, 3.50 ERA). The right-hander is 13-3 with a 2.54 ERA in 26 outings (22 starts) against the Reds over his 12-year career.
Wacha has logged three straight quality starts and has permitted three earned runs or fewer in each of his past 14 outings. He held his former team, the St. Louis Cardinals, to two runs over seven innings in Kansas City’s 8-3 home win on Aug. 10.
The Royals enter Saturday 2 1/2 games ahead of the Boston Red Sox for the AL’s final wild-card spot.
–Field Level Media