Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr sidelined with MCL sprain

Kansas City Royals star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. is sidelined with a Grade 1 sprain of the medial collateral ligament in his right knee, an injury sustained during Thursday night's game against the St. Louis Cardinals. The two-time All-Star was held out of Friday's game and will be reevaluated before Sunday's series finale.

Witt suffered the injury in the top of the fourth inning on Thursday while making a diving stop on a ground ball hit by Jordan Walker. He remained in the game to finish the inning but was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the bottom half. Royals manager Matt Quatraro said the team was fortunate the injury was mild, noting it could have been much worse. He confirmed the sprain does not require surgical repair.

The Royals have a rare scheduled off day on Saturday due to a FIFA World Cup match being held at neighboring Arrowhead Stadium. This provides an extra day of rest before Witt's status is reassessed. Quatraro expressed optimism about a potential return but acknowledged an injured list stint remains a possibility depending on the level of inflammation and swelling in the knee.

Witt's absence compounds significant infield injuries for Kansas City. The team is...