The Royals optioned Waters to Triple-A Omaha on Sunday.
The move is to make room on the 26-man roster for MJ Melendez (ankle), who was reinstated off the 10-day injured list. Waters made four appearances for the Royals after being recalled July 18, going 2-for-8 with one RBI, two runs scored and two walks. In Triple-A this season, Waters is slashing .277/.362/.502 with 10 home runs, 44 RBI and 11 stolen bases across 287 plate appearances.
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Royals' Drew Waters: Recalled from Omaha
Rotowire
The Royals recalled Waters from Triple-A Omaha on Thursday.
With MJ Melendez (ankle) landing on the injured list Tuesday, Waters will return to Kansas City to give the Royals additional outfield depth coming out of the All-Star break. The 25-year-old went 1-for-8 during his first MLB stint in June, and he's slashed .277/.362/.502 with 44 RBI across 287 plate appearances with Omaha.
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Royals' Drew Waters: Heads back to minors
Rotowire
The Royals optioned Waters to Triple-A Omaha on Tuesday.
Waters' first stint in the big leagues this season lasted just a week and he went 1-for-8 at the plate, going hitless in both of his starts. Reliever Carlos Hernandez is absorbing Waters' roster spot.
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Royals' Drew Waters: Called up from Triple-A
Rotowire
Kansas City recalled Waters from Triple-A Omaha on Tuesday.
Waters will be brought up to fill in for Hunter Renfroe (toe) after Renfroe was sent to the 10-day IL. Waters homered eight times and swiped 16 bases with Kansas City last season and should mix in with Dairon Blanco in right field.
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Royals' Drew Waters: Doesn't make Opening Day roster
Rotowire
The Royals optioned Waters to Triple-A Omaha on Friday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Waters had a solid spring, but Kyle Isbel was better and already had the perceived leg up for the center field job due to his defense. The switch-hitting Waters should still spend ample time in the majors this season but will begin the year at Omaha.
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Royals' Drew Waters: No lock to make big-league roster
Rotowire
Waters could be assigned to Triple-A Omaha if he doesn't win a starting job in spring training, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Waters' development is still important, and consistent at-bats with Omaha would serve him better than acting as a fourth outfielder. The addition of Hunter Renfroe took Waters' starting job away, and Kyle Isbel's defense has made him the favorite for center field. If Waters ends up in the minors to begin 2024, Dairon Blanco is projected to be the Royals' fourth outfielder.
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Royals' Drew Waters: Out with quad injury
Rotowire
Waters (quad) is not in Sunday's lineup against the Yankees.
He exited Saturday's game with left quadriceps tightness, so it's no surprise to see Waters out of the lineup for the final game of the regular season. Dairon Blanco will start in center field and hit seventh.
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Royals' Drew Waters: Exits with quad injury
Rotowire
Waters was removed from Saturday's game against the Yankees with left quadriceps tightness, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Waters was replaced in the fourth inning by Dairon Blanco. It's unclear whether Waters will be available for Sunday's season finale.
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Royals' Drew Waters: Sitting versus lefty
Rotowire
Waters is not in the lineup Friday against the Yankees.
Kyle Isbel will start in center field and bat ninth with left-hander Carlos Rodon toeing the slab for New York. The switch-hitting Waters has slashed just .208/.279/.312 in 86 plate appearances versus lefties this season.
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Royals' Drew Waters: Picks up 16th steal
Rotowire
Waters went 0-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base in Sunday's 6-5 win over the Astros.
Waters is now 6-for-7 on stolen base attempts in September, and he's hitting .264 (14-for-53) this month. The outfielder has had some growing pains in his first full big-league campaign with a .234/.308/.386 slash line over 94 contests. He's added 16 thefts, eight home runs, 32 RBI and 39 runs scored while seeing a starting role, albeit not an everyday one, down the stretch.
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Royals' Drew Waters: Idle Friday
Rotowire
Waters isn't in the Royals' lineup Friday against Houston.
The switch-hitting Waters holds just a .613 OPS against left-handed pitching this season, so he'll take a seat against southpaw Framber Valdez. Kyle Isbel will get the nod in center field and bat ninth.
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Royals' Drew Waters: Swipes two bags
Rotowire
Waters went 2-for-3 with a double, a run scored and two steals in Wednesday's 6-2 win over the Guardians.
Waters is now 4-for-7 with three doubles in his last two games after going 0-for-12 with nine strikeouts over his previous five contests. With his two steals Wednesday, the 24-year-old outfielder improved to 15-for-19 on stolen base attempts this season. Overall, Waters is slashing .237/.309/.392 with eight homers, 39 runs scored and 32 RBI across 317 plate appearances as he looks to earn a spot on the Royals' 2024 Opening Day roster.
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Royals' Drew Waters: Takes seat Tuesday
Rotowire
Waters is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Guardians.
Waters went 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI versus Cleveland on Monday but has a .256/.430/.326 slash line and 30 percent strikeout rate through 15 games in September. Kyle Isbel will handle center field and bat ninth Tuesday.
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Royals' Drew Waters: Not in starting lineup
Rotowire
Waters will be on the bench Saturday against Houston.
Waters has struggled to a .203/.306/.297 slash line over his last 25 games, though he does at least have six steals over that stretch. Dairon Blanco will get the start in right field Saturday.
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Royals' Drew Waters: Not starting nightcap
Rotowire
Waters isn't in the Royals' lineup for Game 2 of Tuesday's doubleheader against the White Sox.
Waters struck out in all four of his plate appearances during Tuesday's first game, and he'll start on the bench for Game 2. Waters' absence will allow Dairon Blanco to start in right field and bat ninth.
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Royals' Drew Waters: Day off Friday
Rotowire
Waters isn't in the Royals' lineup Friday against the Blue Jays.
Waters will take a seat Friday after going 7-for-21 with two RBI and five runs scored through his first six games in September. MJ Melendez, Kyle Isbel and Dairon Blanco will make up Kansas City's outfield Friday.
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Royals' Drew Waters: Reaches three times in loss
Rotowire
Waters went 2-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base in Wednesday's 6-4 loss to the White Sox.
Waters accounted for half of the Royals' hits in the game. He's hit safely in five of six games in September, going 7-for-21 (.333) with three walks and two steals this month. Waters is slashing .236/.307/.391 with 12 steals, eight home runs, 29 RBI and 37 runs scored through 81 contests. He should be in the lineup most of the time as a switch hitter, but the Royals' crowded outfield could prevent him from seeing an everyday role.
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Royals' Drew Waters: Solid off bench Sunday
Rotowire
Waters went 1-for-1 with a walk, a stolen base and a run scored in Sunday's 7-3 loss to the Red Sox.
Waters has moved out of an everyday role with the success of Nelson Velazquez. Despite that, Waters is hitting .267 with two steals over his last nine contests -- enough to keep him in the lineup most days. He's slashing .231/.302/.393 with 11 steals, eight home runs, 27 RBI and 36 runs scored through 78 games overall. In addition to Waters, Kyle Isbel (hamstring) has also lost playing time lately as the Royals try to balance playing time for up to five players in the three outfield positions.
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Royals' Drew Waters: Not starting Sunday
Rotowire
Waters isn't in the Royals' lineup Sunday against Boston.
Waters will get a breather Sunday after charting hits in each of the first two games of the Royals' series with the Red Sox. Samad Taylor, Dairon Blanco and Nelson Velazquez will make up Kansas City's outfield while Waters rests.
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Royals' Drew Waters: On bench Wednesday
Rotowire
Waters is absent from the lineup Wednesday against the Pirates.
MJ Melendez, Kyle Isbel and Nelson Velazquez will start across the outfield for the Royals. Waters has been productive overall in August, but he is 1-for-11 with six strikeouts in his last three games.
