2 familiar players are returning to the KC Royals

Hunter Renfroe's broken toe and Adam Frazier's misfortune have two Omaha Storm Chasers back on the road to Kauffman Stadium for a reunion with the KC Royals.

The club announced Tuesday afternoon the recalls from Omaha of outfielder Drew Waters, who'll presumably replace Renfroe, and Nick Pratto, who'll probably fill Frazier's spot. The toe fracture Renfroe suffered when he twice fouled balls off his foot against the Yankees Tuesday landed him on the 10-day Injured List, while the Royals placed Frazier on the Bereavement List.

The nature of Renfroe's injury suggests his IL stay could extend beyond 10 days; Frazier must remain on the Bereavement List for three days.

What roles will Drew Waters and Nick Pratto play for the KC Royals?

Look for Waters to take Renfroe's place in right field; although Pratto has big league experience in the corners (six games in right and 23 in left), he's more a first baseman than anything, and Waters is, and always has been, an outfielder.

What Waters does at the plate is another matter. Slashing .277/.350/.484 with seven homers and 33 RBI for Omaha through Sunday, he's managed only a .231/.306/.402 line in parts of two seasons with Kansas City. Once considered Atlanta's top prospect per MLB Pipeline, the Royals snagged Waters by trading their 2022 Competitive Balance draft pick for him two summers ago.

Waters regularly patrolling right field doesn't mean Pratto will be stranded on the bench. More versatile than Waters, he's capable of spelling him in right, Vinnie Pasquantino and Salvador Perez at first base, and MJ Melendez in left. He can also DH.

Interesting to see will be how much time, if any, manager Matt Quatraro gives Pratto in left. Melendez's ongoing battle with his bat may be approaching a point of intolerance for the Royals — he's hitting .181 with a .225 OBP, 58 OPS+, and 54 wRC+. And although Pratto's big league numbers aren't great — ..216/.295/.364 with 14 homers and 55 RBI in 144 games — subbing Pratto for Melendez might be something for Quatraro to try.

Pratto was batting .234 with seven home runs and 30 runs driven in when the call to KC came.

Waters will be in right field tonight when the Royals host the Yankees at 7:10 p.m. CDT.

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