What happened to Bobby Witt Jr.? Why Royals placed All-Star shortstop on IL

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The Kansas City Royals will have to make do without their All-Star shortstop for at least 10 days.

On Wednesday, the AL Central club announced that Bobby Witt Jr. was placed on the 10-day IL with lower back tightness.

Infielder Andrew Velazquez's contract was selected from Triple-A Omaha as Witt's replacement on the Royals' roster.

Witt is having another great season for the Royals, though his offensive numbers aren't as flashy as recent years. Even so, he leads the American League with a 4.9 bWAR.

"The Royals haven’t provided a timetable for Witt’s recovery, but even a brief absence will throw a wrench into a potential MVP case," Steve Adams of MLB Trade Rumors wrote. "Witt leads the American League in WAR at the moment, which will have him squarely in the MVP running despite playing for a last-place club."

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In 94 games, Witt is slashing .279/.350/.450 with 13 home runs and a .800 OPS. He has stolen 30 bases in 35 attempts. He continues to play stellar defense at shortstop.

The Royals have the second-worst record in the AL and should be sellers at the upcoming trade deadline.

Losing Witt hurts, but it would impact the Royals' season a lot more if they were in the middle of a postseason race.