Royals SS Bobby Witt Jr. Made MLB History During Clash vs. Tigers

Karl Rasmussen | Sep 17, 2024

Witt celebrates while running the bases after hitting a grand slam against the Detroit Tigers. / Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr.'s sensational 2024 campaign continued Tuesday as he made MLB history during the first inning against the Detroit Tigers.

After drawing a walk in his first at-bat of the game, Witt showcased his speed by swiping second base for his 30th stolen bag of the year. In doing so, Witt reached the 30–30 club for the second consecutive season, becoming the first shortstop in league history to record multiple seasons with 30 homers and 30 steals in their career.

History for Bobby Baseball. pic.twitter.com/arFgPIUF96

— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) September 17, 2024

Witt achieved the feat in just the third season of his career, making the accomplishment even more impressive. For all the great shortstops that have suited up in the past, none have managed to match Witt's combination of strength in the batter's box and speed on the base paths.

To put his achievement into perspective, in league history only five other shortstops have ever recorded a 30–30 season, including Barry Larkin (1996), Alex Rodriguez (1998), Jimmy Rollins (2007), Hanley Ramirez (2008) and Francisco Lindor (2023). Witt has now done it twice in his first three seasons.

This year, Witt has launched 32 home runs and has now swiped 30 steals. He's slashing .332/.384/.600 with 108 RBI and a league-best 200 hits, having earned his first trip to the All-Star Game. During last year's breakout campaign, he hit 30 home runs and stole 49 bases.

The future is bright in Kansas City so long as Witt is manning the shortstop position, something he's proven early and often into his young career.

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