The Kansas City Royals finally got some good news around star infielder Bobby Witt Jr. amid ongoing back tightness.
The 26-year-old star has been out since July 20, with the Royals keeping close tabs on his progress. Thankfully, the injury didn’t seem too serious, with Witt landing on the injured list.
This was the first injured list stint for Witt in his career, with him being fairly durable through his first five years in the league.
Witt has played in 94 games this season for the Royals, with him hitting .279 with 13 home runs, 39 RBIs, and 30 stolen bases, while posting an OPS of .800.
Bobby Witt Jr. Returns
Ahead of their game with the Minnesota Twins, Kansas City has announced a big injury update on the star. Witt has been activated from the injured list and will rejoin the team.
We have made the following roster moves: pic.twitter.com/vkOljaFVuy
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) August 4, 2026
Royals manager Matt Quatraro has been happy with the progress Witt made, and the team is excited to have him back. The Royals elected to keep Witt on the injured list for a few days longer than needed, giving him more time to fully heal.
“He feels good,” Quatraro said. “He’s progressed literally every day. We could’ve pushed him. It was very unlikely he would have played in all the games here, so we figured with the off-day Monday, let’s take the cautious route and have him ready to go full-go on Tuesday.”
Getting Witt back on the field should help the Royals, even if Kansas City has underperformed this season. 2026 has been another tough year for the Royals amid inconsistency from multiple key players.
Royals Remainder of 2026 Outlook
Currently, the Royals hold a record of 46-67 on the year, with them sitting in last place within the American League Central division.
Witt has finished in the top five of the AL MVP Award voting in each of the last two seasons. In 2024, he was the runner-up, and last season, he came in fourth place for the honor.
Having Witt on the field makes the Royals a better baseball team. The All-Star is ready to make a difference for Kansas City after missing games this year.
“With how my mindset and everything works, I want to be out there every day and play every game,” Witt said. “Any time I miss games — most games I’ve missed this year — it’s definitely frustrating. But it’s trying to learn my body, and I think being able to understand what I need to do whenever I start to feel things.”
While the Royals may not be able to get back into the playoff race, the team can at least try to salvage the season a little. This team has been underwhelming for the last few years after a playoff appearance in 2024.
With the trade deadline now behind them, Kansas City is more playing for pride than anything. This will be a chance for guys on the roster to impress the front office, seeing if they can become mainstays for the future.
Royals Reveal Massive Injury Update on Bobby Witt Jr.