Witt brings Backyard Baseball to life with 2nd 25-HR, 25-SB season

CINCINNATI -- Players’ Weekend is all about fun, and this weekend’s Royals-Reds series is all about the pair of young superstar shortstops who make playing every day look like a blast.

Bobby Witt Jr. took it a step further by using a Pablo Sanchez-inspired bat, in honor of the legendary Backyard Baseball character, and used it on Friday night to power his way into some exclusive company.

Swinging a yellow-barrelled bat imprinted with Sanchez’s face and the fictional slugger’s signature catchphrase, ‘Hasta la vista!’ Witt walloped his 25th homer to become the third Royal to hit 25 homers and steal 25 bases in consecutive seasons as Kansas City ran away with a 7-1 victory at Great American Ball Park.

Witt joined Carlos Beltrán (2002-03) and Bo Jackson (1988-89) as the only Royals to go 25/25 in back-to-back seasons.

“It’s incredible,” said righty Michael Lorenzen, who earned his first win as a Royal in his return to Cincinnati against the team he debuted with and spent the first seven seasons of his career. “You see it on MLB Network every night and you kind of get sick of it to be honest, because he’s on it every night.

“And then playing with him, and it’s the real deal. There aren’t many people you can say that about. You can say that about Bobby. It’s the real deal, it’s incredible, and the way he goes about his business, too, makes me have that much more respect for him.”

Add it to the growing list of accomplishments for the All-Star shortstop, who keeps leaving those around him jaw-dropped as he continues an MVP-caliber campaign in his third big league season.

Witt characteristically did a little bit of everything against the Reds. His 25th homer, a solo tater off Nick Martinez in the fourth, traveled a Statcast-projected 430 feet and landed in the second deck in left field. Witt also doubled and scored in the sixth, and was a triple shy of the cycle. He also showed off his elite speed by taking two bases on an errant pickoff throw in the seventh, and scored three runs.

“I don’t take it for granted,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “It’s not something you see. He’s performing at a much higher level than even an All-Star caliber player, and it’s really fun to watch. He manages it really well. A lot of guys get on a hot streak and then they come back down to Earth.

“He’s so level-headed. He’s so competitive. He’s such a good process-driven guy, that he continues to have this success and it’s really something special.”

Said first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino, who added a game-breaking three-run homer in the ninth: “He’s just been phenomenal all year. He’s a fantastic ballplayer.”

Witt leads baseball in hitting and is slashing .352/.400/.621, ranking among the game’s leaders in nearly every statistical category on both sides of the ball. Earlier this month, he became the first player in MLB history to go 20/20 in each of his first three seasons. And last year, Witt registered one of the six 30-30 seasons ever by a shortstop.

He’s on pace to reach those totals again this season. No shortstop in the history of the game has done it in consecutive years.

“I’m [not] trying to do anything more or less than just be myself and help the team win,” Witt said before the game.

It’s fitting that Witt used a video game-inspired bat for Players’ Weekend, because those are video game numbers. And he’s been on a tear lately.

Friday was his second straight game with a homer, after he hit the highest pitch for a home run by a Royal in the Statcast era (since 2015) in Wednesday's win over Minnesota. He’s now reached base safely in 25 of the last 26 games, slashing .456/.509/.845 with 20 extra-base hits (nine HRs), 30 runs scored, 27 RBIs and three steals.

Since June 30, Witt has more multi-hit games (21) than strikeouts (19).

Those are Pablo Sanchez numbers.

“We figured out that his fictional birthday is Sunday,” Witt said. “I played the game growing up. Backyard Baseball is kinda cool, and that’s how I try to play the game. Like I’m having fun.”