Royals' Bobby Witt: Extends hit streak to 12 games
Rotowire
Witt went 3-for-4 with a solo home run and an additional run scored in Saturday's 4-2 loss to the Tigers.
Witt singled and scored in the fourth inning before adding a solo homer in the sixth. The shortstop has now hit safely in 12 straight games and in 18 of 20 in August overall, batting .351 with four homers, 11 RBI, 18 runs scored and six steals this month. On the season, he's slashing .298/.354/.506 with 19 long balls, 71 RBI, 84 runs scored and 34 steals across 559 plate appearances.
Witt (back) will start at shortstop and bat second in Monday's game against the Nationals.
Witt sat out Sunday's 5-3 loss to the Twins due to back stiffness, but the day off was apparently all the superstar shortstop needed to move past the issue ahead of Monday's series opener. The 25-year-old is batting just .226 thus far in August, but he's still provided two home runs, two stolen bases, five RBI and five runs over that eight-game stretch.
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Royals' Bobby Witt: Iffy for Monday due to stiff back
Rotowire
Witt was held out of the lineup for Sunday's 5-3 loss to the Twins in 11 innings due to back stiffness, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Kansas City didn't provide an immediate explanation behind Witt's absence from the lineup Sunday, so the prevailing belief was that he was exiting the starting nine for just the second time all season in a planned rest day. Instead, the back issue was apparently behind Witt getting the day off, and the Royals aren't yet certain whether the star shortstop will be ready to rejoin the lineup for Monday's series opener versus the Nationals. The Royals will wait and see how Witt feels coming out of a pregame workout before deciding on his availability leading up to the 7:40 p.m. ET opening pitch.
Witt is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Twins.
After seeing his five-game hitting streak come to an end with a 0-for-4 showing in Saturday's 2-0 win over the Twins, Witt will exit the starting nine for just the second time all season in what appears to be a planned rest day. Maikel Garcia will cover shortstop and bat second in his stead.
Witt went 1-for-3 with a steal, two walks and a three-run home run in Friday's 9-3 win over Toronto.
Witt continued his strong play at the plate Friday, giving the Royals a 5-1 lead in the third after taking Kevin Gausman deep to left field for a three-run homer. Witt has recorded at least one hit in 21 of 24 games since the beginning of July, and over that span he has an .890 OPS with eight steals, seven doubles, five home runs and 18 RBI.
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