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The Kansas City Royals climbed back to the .500 mark with a statement win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night, kicking off August with momentum. But it was a three-word quote from Bobby Witt Jr. that stole the postgame spotlight. When asked about new teammate Mike Yastrzemski, who made his debut following the club’s trade deadline deal with the San Francisco Giants, the star shortstop didn’t hesitate.
“I like him.”
The quote, shared by MLB’s Anne Rogers in a postgame article, came after Yastrzemski’s memorable start with Kansas City. The outfielder homered in his first plate appearance as a Royal, launching a two-run shot off Kevin Gausman in the second inning to flip a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 lead. The homer in his debut made him just the sixth player in franchise history to go deep in their first plate appearance with the club.
Yastrzemski’s excitement was just as evident.
“I think that was the first time I was able to relax today,” he told Rogers. “It’s nice to put a couple of good swings on the ball and have a little bit of an impact here.”
The Royals didn’t stop there. Witt Jr. added a three-run homer in the third inning — his 16th of the season — and both Salvador Perez and Adam Frazier went deep in the ninth to cap a 9-3 win. Starting pitcher Michael Wacha delivered a gem, going eight innings with just one run allowed.
The victory brought the Royals to 55–55, the first time they’ve reached .500 since June 20. It also marked their eighth win in their last 11 games, a surge that has reignited hope in Kansas City. With a more potent lineup thanks to the additions of Yastrzemski, Frazier, and Randal Grichuk, manager Matt Quatraro called the timing “perfect” as the club eyes a postseason run.
The Royals trade deadline moves appear to be paying off immediately, with Yastrzemski and Grichuk likely to platoon in right field while Frazier offers infield versatility. The team has now scored five or more runs in eight of their last 13 games, a major uptick from their pre-All-Star break pace.
In the AL Wild Card race, Kansas City sits just 3.5 games back, trailing teams like the Seattle Mariners and Boston Red Sox. With over 50 games remaining and momentum on their side, the path to the postseason is still open for the team — especially if their newest additions continue to shine.
