The Kansas City Royals know who their top contributors are going to be, but there are still some uncertainties to sort out up and down the rest of the roster.
Of the four bench spots for Friday’s season opener against the Atlanta Braves, it’s likely two will go to outfielders on any given day, thanks to the late-offseason arrival of veteran Starling Marte. That puts returnee Drew Waters in a very precarious position.
In a Monday roster projection, Royals insider Jaylon Thompson spelled out why Waters was likely to be designated for assignment at some point this week, leaving him out of the group of five outfielders he predicted to make the team.
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Why Waters is likely odd man out in KC
“Waters could be the odd man out. The Royals are full in the outfield with Isaac Collins, Jac Caglianone, Kyle Isbel, Lane Thomas and Starling Marte,” wrote Thompson. “If Waters doesn’t make the team, he will likely be designated for assignment. At that moment, 29 other teams have a chance to claim him on waivers.”
The Royals have spent four years holding out hope for Waters, who was acquired in a 2022 trade with the Atlanta Braves, even as he has struggled to the tune of an 85 OPS+ in 208 major league games. But it feels like last season, when he put up his worst-ever stats at Triple-A and put up a brutal .603 OPS in the majors, may have been the breaking point.
He got a fair shake this spring, with 34 plate appearances in Cactus League play, and again struggled to make an impression, posting a .565 OPS with just one extra-base hit. And to their credit, the Royals spent the offseason finding better options in the outfield, especially Collins, who should be an everyday starter.
While Waters could stay in the organization if he goes unclaimed on waivers later this week, Thompson’s notion that he will be cut seems like a fairly inevitable conclusion at this point, as that last bench spot is much better served going to an infielder.
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