On Wednesday, the Kansas City Royals finalized their Opening Day roster. While Kansas City already had a good idea of what the roster would look like entering the season, there were still battles for the final spots.
These were bench spots, and it was not an easy decision for Kansas City as it came down to the wire for who would get the nod for Opening Day. Michael Massey was a name to monitor during the process, as his status helped determine how many spots were available.
Massey had been dealing with a calf injury for the past couple of weeks, but it was clear that if he were healthy, the spot would be his. That was not the case, as the Royals placed him on the 10-day injured list to begin the season.
That created an extra roster spot, but even with the opening, one player still did not make the cut.
The Royals designated Drew Waters for assignment
Kansas City decided not to add Drew Waters to the Opening Day roster, and because he was out of minor league options, the Royals were forced to designate him for assignment.
Waters was in the mix for the final roster spot, but his spring training performance did not convince the Royals he deserved the role.
This spring, Waters slashed .188/.250/.281 in 32 at-bats in Surprise, Arizona. It was not the performance either Waters or the Royals hoped to see from the outfielder.
Since arriving in Kansas City from the Atlanta Braves in 2022, Waters has bounced between the majors and minors. Even so, he has accumulated a solid amount of major league experience, totaling 620 career at-bats over four seasons with the Royals.
Across those 620 at-bats, Waters slashed .234/.300/.369 with 65 RBIs and 14 home runs. After multiple opportunities and an underwhelming spring, it was enough for the Royals to make their decision.
Nick Loftin and Tyler Tolbert made the roster. Loftin was a standout this spring after an impressive showing, so one of the spots was already leaning his way.
Now the question becomes: When Massey is healthy and returns, who will be sent down? Royals general manager J.J. Picollo made it clear that when Massey is healthy, he will have a spot on the roster.
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