MLB Network's disrespect towards Bobby Witt Jr's MVP-worthy season has gone too far

While they may be rebounding in the month of June, it's safe to say that the 2026 season as whole hasn't gone the Royals way. They're 27-39 and behind everyone but the Los Angeles Angels and Detroit Tigers in the wild card race despite only being 5.5 games back. That being said, while collectively the season's gone south in Kansas City so far, there have been some individual high points this season, none bigger than the year Bobby Witt Jr. is putting together.

As it stands right now, there's no player in baseball who's provided as much statistical value as Witt Jr. has. His 3.8 fWAR comfortably sits ahead of all other major league hitters, with Yordan Alvarez of the Houston Astros sitting with the next highest clip at 3.3. However, while Witt's chances are certainly strong to take home his first ever AL MVP this season, by no means is he a unanimous shoo-in at this point. In fact, on Monday MLB Network's Greg Amsinger suggested Alvarez is the front runner for the award.

Given his sensational .311/.427/.639 slash line with 22 homers and 48 RBI already along with a major league leading 189 wRC+, there's certainly a strong case for the Astros DH to reign supreme. However, regardless of who anyone thinks will come home with the award this year, Amsinger's placement of Witt as the seventh best contender to Alvarez in this year's MVP race is utterly egregious.

Citing his lesser offensive numbers to the Houston slugger and others in the field, Amsinger's decision seems rooted in an archaic way of thinking.

"Bobby Witt Jr. will tell you it's a bit of a down year start, but he has the highest WAR right now in the American League," Amsinger said.

"For me he's only at number seven, hitting .280 with 27 RBI," he said. "I love Bobby Witt Jr. but I think other guys are just more valuable."

To say that other guys are more valuable than Witt seems like a complete falsehood this season. Not only is Witt statistically the most valuable player in the league, and thus to this Royals team too, he's completely outpacing this entire Royals lineup. The next highest fWAR total to Witt's 3.8 is Maikel Garcia at 1.4, who also happens to be the only other position player above a 1.0 this season. If we're talking about value, it's terrifying to think where this Royals lineup would be without him.

Amsinger stated earlier that the writer's love wins above replacement, which in essence means that MVP voting is teetering more towards a complete game. And there's no denying that Witt might be the definition of a complete player with his excellent hitting and power abilities, world class defense and incredible speed on the basepaths.

Witt's so much more than his bat, but he's still an elite hitter at the plate

Since when did hitting .280 with 27 RBI by early June become a bad thing? Are guys like Alvarez having a better season at the plate than Witt? Absolutely, however to knock Witt on his offense seems like pulling at strings if anything.

With a high .200s AVG, Witt also holds an .810 OPS, a sub-20% K-rate and a walk rate above 10%. If this was all he had to his resume, than yes, by all means, rank him lower in this list. However, Witt's game has proven the opposite otherwise.

Not only is he a well-above average bat with a 122 wRC+, he currently leads all of baseball (not just shortstops, all of baseball) in OAA at 16, sits second in FRV at 12 and is only just outside the Top 10 in DRS with seven - a stat that has traditionally lagged behind even further than the previously mentioned two for Witt.

On top of this, Amsinger brought up that game-changing speed of Witt's, that sees him in a tie for the MLB lead with 23 already.

Amsinger said it himself, "writers drool over" wins above replacement. I'll admit though, offense is often king and there's certainly a debate to be had on whether Witt has done enough at the plate and elsewhere to make up for his offensive "shortcomings" in comparison to other names in the league like Alvarez or the Yankees' Ben Rice. But that's an entirely different story and beyond the point being made here.

MVP or not, to rank him well outside the finalists spots for the award given all he does around the game isn't just absurd, it's outright disrespectful of the generational talent Witt has proven to be.

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