It's time for the KC Royals to answer the Drew Waters Question

Fans won't see MJ Melendez in left field when the KC Royals open post-All-Star Break play Friday evening at Kauffman Stadium. His sprained left ankle forced the club to move Melendez to the Injured List Tuesday.

Expect, then, to see Drew Waters, recalled from Triple-A Omaha Thursday afternoon, in left Friday ... or Garrett Hampson, who's played there 19 times this season ... or maybe someone else.

Waters is the choice manager Matt Quatraro should make. It's time for the Royals to decide just what to do with him.

The KC Royals are at a crossroad with Drew Waters

Kansas City excited much of its fanbase when it traded for Waters two years ago. The surprise deal — the Royals sent their 2022 Competitive Balance draft pick, and no players, to Atlanta for Waters, then the Braves' No. 1 minor prospect per MLB Pipeline, and minor leaguers CJ Alexander and Andrew Hoffman. Nabbing any club's top prospect is a coup, and the swap generated some energy as the Royals wallowed their way through what proved to be manager Mike Matheny's final year with the club.

Two seasons later, the trade hasn't reaped what many hoped it would. Waters isn't a star, or even a big league regular, leaving some to wonder whether he's just another "AAAA" player, a ballplayer seemingly destined for a career bouncing back and forth from Triple-A to the majors without ever quite fitting in at the latter level.

Some hard evidence supports the conclusion that Waters might end his pro career without measuring up to past hype. In 133 major league appearances since joining the Kansas City organization, he's hitting only .229 with 13 homers; this season, he's 1-for-8. At Omaha, however, Waters is slashing .273/.359/.498, has homered 10 times, and has 44 RBI in 68 games. His seven-year minor league numbers — ..281 average, .349 OBP, three double-digit home run campaigns, and 104 steals — are good.

He's also clubbed three homers, driven in 11 runs, and is batting .333 over his last 10 Storm Chaser games.

Will he stay hot in his latest trip to Kansas City? Maybe, maybe not. But his latest trial with the Royals is a Waters moment the club should seize — give him regular shots in left and at the plate, then decide whether he warrants a longer stay when Melendez returns. And determine whether he might be worth shopping before the July 30 trade deadline passes.

The Waters Question, one which may have lingered too long in Kansas City's front office, needs to be answered, and sooner rather than later.

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