Football might be the focus of Kansas City sports at the moment, but the Royals are making a statement of their own.
The Royals announced a massive 11-year, $ 288.7 million contract extension with shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. on Monday, locking up the face of their franchise long-term. FanSided’s Robert Murray reported Sunday that Witt and the Royals were discussing a deal.
Kansas City isn’t known as a major spender and perennially ranks among the lowest payrolls in baseball, but there was no path to keeping Witt long-term without making a monumental offer. The former No. 2 pick enjoyed a breakthrough 2023 season, finishing seventh in AL MVP voting and improving as the year went on.
Still just 23, Witt is now positioned to be the centerpiece of the franchise when the Royals move into the new stadium they are currently in the process of planning.
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Here are the details on Witt’s mega deal with Kansas City.
Bobby Witt Jr. contract details
The Royals signed Witt Jr. to an 11-year, $ 288.7 million contract extension Monday, announcing the deal shortly after it was first reported by ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
BREAKING: Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. and the Kansas City Royals are in agreement on an 11-year, $ 288.7 million contract extension, sources tell ESPN.
News on the monumental deal with full details, including opt-outs and a club option, free to read at ESPN: https://t.co/MEKcUrZhhs
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 5, 2024
The contract is easily the largest in Royals history, clearing Salvador Perez’s four-year, $ 82 million deal by more than $ 200 million.
Witt has only two major-league seasons under his belt and wasn’t set to hit free agency for four more years, but his price tag was already surging after a breakthrough 2023. The Royals opted to extend an offer now, rather than wait until it became even more difficult to keep Witt from hitting free agency.
The end of the contract has a few wrinkles, as Witt has an opt-out clause after 2030, 2031, 2032 and 2033. If Witt doesn’t opt out, the Royals will have a club option after 2034 that can bring the deal to 14 years and $ 377 million in total.
Witt confirmed the deal, tweeting that he is “incredibly grateful” to Royals owner John Sherman and promising to do all he can to “bring championship baseball back to Kansas City.”
I am incredibly grateful to the Sherman family and the Royals front office for believing in me, and I promise to do everything in my power to help bring championship baseball back to Kansas City! Let’s go!! https://t.co/DG7Dvk4k0Y
— Bobby Witt Jr (@BwittJr) February 5, 2024
The Royals drafted Witt second overall in 2019, one pick behind Adley Rutschman. Kansas City might now set the standard for the Orioles, who similarly aren’t accustomed to handing out massive deals but will have to consider potential extension offers to Rutschman and Gunnar Henderson, among others, under new ownership.
