The Kansas City Royals were eliminated by the New York Yankees in the 2024 ALDS, a series that began in the Bronx and ended at Kauffman Stadium. While the loss was tough for the Royals, their star shortstop, Bobby Witt Jr., is already looking ahead, determined to make sure his team comes back stronger.
Witt sent a clear warning to the rest of the American League, promising that the Royals will work harder than ever this MLB offseason to become a team no one wants to face. Despite the disappointment of falling short, Witt Jr. expressed his confidence in the potential of his team and the belief that their playoff exit would serve as a catalyst for future success.
“It’s tough. That is not what you want; it just feels like you let a lot of people down,” Witt said, reflecting on the loss. “But it’s part of the game. Something like this lights a fire in you and leaves a bad taste. For Kansas City Royals baseball, this is what we want to do every year—get into the postseason. Now it’s about how far we’re going to go.”
With their elimination from the postseason, Royals fans are left wondering what’s next for their team. According to Bobby Witt Jr., the Royals will be using the offseason to build on the lessons learned from this year’s playoff run. He emphasized that the team’s focus is on improving day by day, starting now.
“We’re just going to keep working forward, getting better each day throughout the offseason,” Witt continued. “It’s going to be one step at a time, but this team is special. This loss is going to be more motivation for us in the future.”
Witt Jr.’s Warning to the American League
In a statement that resonated with both his teammates and fans, Witt Jr. sent a strong message to the rest of the league: the Royals are coming for them. He expressed his pride in how the Royals have turned into a team that can compete with the best, and he promised that opponents would no longer take Kansas City lightly.
“This team is going to be special. Royals baseball is competitive now. This team’s gonna be special. Teams aren’t gonna want to play us. That’s our mantra going forward, and it’s going to be like that for a while,” Witt said.