Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. is entering his 5th MLB season and has continued to establish himself as one of the most complete players in all of baseball. With his combination of speed, power and defense, Witt is consistently in the American League MVP conversation, even if New York Yankees star Aaron Judge tends to separate himself from the pack for that award.
However, this season Witt has an inside track to increased MVP odds that not enough people are talking about. Earlier this offseason, the Royals moved their outfield fences in at Kauffman Stadium. Known for having one of the most spacious outfields in the league, Kansas City has always been a triples park. But this season, those triples could turn to homers for a player like Witt.
More of a line-drive, gap-to-gap hitter, Witt does have some power, and it projects to play up with these new dimensions. It could certainly have a positive impact on his already top-tier stats, as he posted a 136 OPS+ last season in the bigger yard. This fence change could very well be the difference between a top-three MVP finish and actually winning the award.
While baseball is much different than basketball and other sports that can be more heavily carried by one individual player, Kansas City surprising people in the American League Central this season could also go a long way toward boosting Witt’s MVP case.
The American League Central is always a bit difficult to predict, as the defending back-to-back champion Cleveland Guardians almost always end up exceeding their preseason line. They erased a 15.5-game deficit last season to overtake the Detroit Tigers and win the division for a second straight year, as the Royals finished in third at 82-80.
But some believe the Royals had a better offseason than both Cleveland and Detroit. While the Tigers made the biggest splash by signing Framber Valdez, Kansas City may have had the all-around better winter. Bolstering both their lineup and pitching staff, the Royals improved in some specific areas of need.
Another MVP-caliber season from Witt, along with steady contributions from these newcomers, could be enough to get Kansas City in the mix for a division crown. Should the Royals secure that, it would be hard to deny Witt’s case as MVP if he puts up numbers similar to last season, or perhaps even better with the new dimensions at his home ballpark.