Royals’ Witt Jr. is the first SS with multiple 30-30 seasons

KANSAS CITY, Missouri — The Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr. became the first shortstop in major league history to hit at least 30 home runs and 30 steals in multiple seasons when the All-Star stole second base in the first inning of a 3-1, 10-inning loss to the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday night.

“It’s always something special when you’re first,” Witt said, “but yes, that’s over now. We’re on our way to tomorrow.”

The Royals are 2½ games behind Baltimore in the battle for the first AL wild-card playoff spot and 1½ games ahead of Minnesota in the battle for second place.

Witt has hit 31 home runs this season, including a grand slam in the series opener on Monday night, to go along with 30 steals. The 24-year-old superstar had 49 steals last season when he hit the home run he needed to reach 30 with three games left in the season.

The son of longtime major league pitcher Bobby Witt, he was also the first player to post multiple 30-30 seasons in his first three years in the major leagues. In fact, only six other players have accomplished this in their first three seasons.

“He’s the best player in baseball. He’s unbelievable,” said Royals pitcher Cole Ragans. “A special talent, a special person. We’re lucky to see him every day, and it’s incredible how hard he works behind the scenes to make the product on the field what it is. He’s just a very special player. It’s a joy to see him every day.”

Witt was selected second in the first round in the 2019 First-Year Player Draft and signed an 11-year contract with the Royals in the offseason that will ultimately pay him $288,777,777. The largest deal in franchise history included a $7,777,777 signing bonus, an ode to his No. 7 jersey that has become so popular with Kansas City fans who filled Kauffman Stadium during their playoff hunt.

The Royals have secured a permanent wildcard spot in the AL and have an outside chance of catching the Cleveland Guardians in the division.

Witt was a key reason for the turnaround after a 106-loss season the previous year. Entering Tuesday, he led the majors with 200 hits, a .332 average and 112 runs scored. The only players to finish a season as the leader in all three categories were Nap Lajoie in 1901, Ty Cobb in 1911 and 1915, Stan Musial in 1952 and Rod Carew in 1977.

More than anything, Witt brought a contagious enthusiasm to a club that it desperately needed.

The Royals won back-to-back AL championships and their first World Series title in 30 years in 2014 and 2015, but were unable to sustain that success and quickly fell into mediocrity. Kansas City lost at least 100 games three times in six seasons before turning things around this season under second-year coach Matt Quatraro.

While fans in Kansas City have witnessed Witt’s rise to stardom, his coming out may come this summer at the Home Run Derby at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, not far from his hometown of Colleyville. Witt reached the finals, but lost 14-13 to Teoscar Hernandez of the Los Angeles Dodgers in a dramatic showdown that went down to the wire.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.