Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. Notches Telling Award For 3rd-Straight Year

It's everything BWJ is as a player...

Jul 21, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (7) runs after hitting an RBI-single against the Chicago Cubs during the fifth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

The Heart and Hustle Award might not go on a player's Hall of Fame plaque, but it certainly is telling about who they are as a member of their team.

Kansas City Royals superstar Bobby Witt Jr. probably doesn't need to hustle every night to make an impact. But he does it anyway, on every single play he's involved in, because that's how the 25-year-old is wired.

On Tuesday, Witt received the appropriate recognition for that trait. He was named the Royals' Heart and Hustle Award winner for the third-straight year, as announced on MLB.com.

Witt also now becomes eligible to win the award for the entire league, which he did last season after a remarkable campaign that also earned him second place in Most Valuable Player voting.

Though he's not quite producing at the insane levels he was at in 2024, Witt's still been the best all-around shortstop in baseball this year, racking up 16 home runs, 29 stolen bases, and 4.7 bWAR. He may very well win a second Gold Glove, and he's leading all of baseball with 37 doubles.

The great news about this season is that the Royals are learning that they can count on Witt to be the best player at his position, pretty much no matter what. The bad news is they're also realizing they might need him to be a top-two all-around player in the sport to compete for playoff opportunities.

Witt will find out if he wins a second-straight league-wide Heart and Hustle Award in November.

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