Royals' Witt avoids serious injury after taking pitch to forearm

Kansas City Royals star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. was forced to leave Wednesday's game after he was hit by a pitch on the left forearm.

The Royals announced Witt has a left forearm contusion, and X-rays were negative for a fracture. He will continue to be evaluated.

The injury occurred in the fifth inning against the Seattle Mariners after Witt was struck by a 95.9-mph sinker from right-hander Andrés Muñoz.

(Video source: MLB.com)

Witt was replaced by Tyler Tolbert. The 24-year-old finished the game hitless after a pair of at-bats.

"He said initially that he just lost feeling in his fingers, but he said it was coming back," Royals manager Matt Quatraro said, according to MLB.com's Anne Rogers. "I’m going to assume they’re going to get an X-ray just to make sure. … I can’t speak for what he was feeling other than that he said he couldn’t feel his fingers, but there is a nerve in that area."

Witt put together the best season of his young career in 2024. He belted 32 home runs with 45 doubles, 11 triples, 31 stolen bases, and 109 RBIs in 161 games as Kansas City qualified for the postseason for the first time since winning the World Series in 2015.

Witt also led MLB with 211 hits and won his first AL batting title, earned his first All-Star nod, and claimed his first Gold Glove. He finished runner-up to New York Yankees star Aaron Judge in AL MVP voting.