KC Royals News: Bobby Witt Jr.'s new record, a hot club, power rankings

Just when KC Royals fans were wondering what more superstar shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. could do this season, he found something Thursday night in Detroit to add to what may end up being an American League MVP campaign.

With the Royals holding a somewhat comfortable 4-1 eighth-inning lead over the Tigers, Witt pounded a one-out Brenan Hanifee sinker for his 20th homer of the season. Combined with the 24 stolen bases he had coming into the evening's series opener at Comerica Park, Witt's solo blast made him the first major leaguer ever to homer at least 20 times and swipe at least 20 bases in his first, second, and third big league campaigns.

Witt had 20 homers and stole 30 bases during his rookie season in 2022, then hit 30 homers with 49 steals last season.

What's next from Witt is unknown, but it's sure to be something special.

Kansas City is getting hot again

Remember the Royals of last week? You know, the struggling club that lost two of three games to Arizona, then promptly did the same against the Cubs? Fortunately, those Royals seem to have disappeared.

Evidence of that departure is in the four straight games the Royals have won since embarking on a seven-game swing through Chicago and Detroit that started Monday. Not too surprisingly, Kansas City swept three from the White Sox to begin the trip — they beat former KC coach and present Sox manager Pedro Grifol's team, the worst in the majors, 8-5 Monday and 4-3 Tuesday, before walloping the Sox 10-3 Wednesday afternoon. Witt, who's leading the majors with a .350 average, continued to bolster his MVP chances by going 7-for-11 against Chicago with a homer, double, five RBI, and a steal.

The Royals moved on to Detroit Thursday and, behind Vinnie Pasquantino's 13th and 14th homers of the campaign and his four RBI, Witt's record-setting 20th homer, and an excellent pitching performance that netted starter Seth Lugo his 13th win of the year, put the Tigers away 7-1.

The Royals, hot again, are in the thick of the race for one of the American League's six postseason slots. They currently hold one of the AL's Wild Cards and are in second place in the AL Central. They play Detroit again tonight at 5:40 p.m. ET.

The KC Royals are on the move in power rankings

MLB.com announced its newest power rankings Thursday, and Kansas City moved up significantly. The Royals jumped from 13th to ninth, an upward shift MLB.com attributed to the club's recent trade deadline period acquisitions.

Kansas City traded for pitchers Hunter Harvey and Michael Lorenzen in the days leading up to Tuesday's deadline, then added pitcher Lucas Erceg and infielder Paul DeJong Tuesday afternoon.

The Phillies maintained their No. 1 ranking. AL Central-leading Cleveland, which leads the Royals by six games, ranked third.

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