Kansas City Royals outfielder Drew Waters has a left oblique strain and will be out for six weeks, according to a tweet from MLB.com Royals beat writer Anne Rogers.
Waters was competing for the center field job during spring training, Rogers continued. Center fielder Kyle Isbel will “get every opportunity to grab that spot,” while more innings and at bats will go to outfielders Nate Eaton and Edward Olivares, as well as second baseman Samad Taylor, among others.
Waters earned 23 hits and five home runs in his 96 at-bats in the 2022 season. He was originally selected by the Atlanta Braves in the second round of the 2017 MLB June Amateur Draft from Etowah high school in Woodstock, Georgia, according to Baseball Reference. He spent five seasons in the minor leagues, including three on AAA teams and two on AA squads.
The 24-year-old outfielder earned 573 plate appearances with two different teams in 2019, racking up 163 hits, 80 runs and seven home runs during his time with the Gwinnett Stripers and Mississippi Braves. Drew Waters made it up to the Royals in 2022 after games with the Stripers, Omaha Storm Chasers and Rome Braves.
The Texas Rangers were able to agree to terms with 11-year Royals pitcher Danny Duffy in late January. The team added right-handed pitcher Jacob deGrom from the New York Mets, adding to their high-profile pitching core before the start of spring training.
The Royals added extra roster additions of their own in the offseason when they signed former Cleveland Guardians outfielder Franmil Reyes to a minor league contract with non-roster invite to spring training. He joined right-handed pitcher Zack Greinke and lefty Aroldis Chapman as the team's free agent signings in the offseason.
The Royals will face the Rangers on Friday at 2:05 CST in Surprise Stadium. They will take on the Rangers again at 2:05 p.m. CST on Saturday, again in Surprise Stadium.
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