KC Royals: 3 good candidates for 2 September callups

After impressively concluding a six-game homestand by battering San Diego 15-7 Sunday, the KC Royals take today off before visiting the White Sox for three and the Tigers for four. While the players do whatever players do on an off day, others in the organization have decisions to make.

Thursday is Sept. 1, which means all big league clubs, including the Royals, will add two players to their active rosters for the rest of the season.

Who will Kansas City add? To say the Royals have needs understates the obvious—the rotation and bullpen are, in polite terms, shaky and inconsistent. The lineup doesn’t include enough strong bats, although that problem will self-solve as Bobby Witt Jr., Vinnie Pasquantino, Michael Massey and Nick Pratto further develop and refine their hit tools.

But because the Royals are 52-77 and flirting once again with their third 100 loss campaign in the last four full seasons, filling immediate needs isn’t the highest priority. This is a team fighting to do little more than avoid losing 100 games and finishing in last place.

The KC Royals should use their two additional spots to evaluate players.

Instead, this is the time to take a month-plus look (the season doesn’t end until Oct. 5) at a couple of players the club might want to consider for next year’s roster.

Remembering the Royals will add a pitcher to reach the expanded 14-hurler limit, and a position player, who might be good candidates for the two available spots?

Let’s find out.