Great news for the Kansas City Royals as star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. escaped a serious injury after being hit by a 96 mph fastball in a spring training game against the Seattle Mariners. According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, Witt did not suffer a broken bone and is expected to avoid a long absence, although his exact return timeline is still unclear.
The Royals announced the injury as a left forearm contusion and stated that Witt would undergo further evaluation in the morning. Witt himself reassured fans by indicating that he is okay in a tweet.
The incident occurred during an at-bat against Mariners closer Andrés Muñoz, with Witt revealing that he initially lost feeling in his fingers after being hit.
Witt had an outstanding season last year, winning his first batting title with a .332/.389/.588 slash line and showcasing stellar defense at shortstop. He also achieved his second consecutive 30-30 season, a feat never before accomplished by a shortstop in MLB history.
His remarkable performance earned him a Silver Slugger award, a Gold Glove, and a second-place finish in the AL MVP voting, just behind Aaron Judge. At only 24 years old, Witt is considered one of the most exciting players in baseball.
The Royals are set to kick off their season on March 27 against the Cleveland Guardians. With approximately two weeks until the season opener, Witt has some time to recover before potentially missing any games that count.