This was going to happen earlier, but the Royals were just playing too well.

Manager Ned Yost said Thursday that he plans to use some players in different positions in the near future. He’ll take a look at a few guys and see how they handle playing another position. Versatility can make a difference when compiling the 25-man roster.

That goes for the second-base competition between Chris Getz and Johnny Giavotella. Both are expected to get a look in the outfield this spring.

“It’s not an experiment, but we want guys to be versatile, and those guys, we think, can handle it,” Yost said before Thursday’s 12-2 loss to the Mariners. “I was waiting until we lost a game before I started experimenting a little bit, but what the (heck), we’d better just go ahead and start doing it.”

Both have minimal outfield experience.

Giavotella played two games in left field for Class AAA Omaha in 2011, making putouts in his only two chances over two games.

Getz appeared in 15 games in left field at Class AAA Charlotte while in the White Sox organization in 2008. He committed two errors in 29 chances.

“I love being in the pasture,” Getz said. “I like it. When I did play out there in Triple-A, I loved playing out there, so why not?”

Yost expects to use Elliot Johnson, Xavier Nady, Anthony Seratelli and Brandon Wood at times at first base with Eric Hosmer having joined the U.S. team at the World Baseball Classic. Johnson played left field in Wednesday’s win against Arizona and was at first Thursday.

“We just want to see guys, just to have an idea,” Yost said. “Versatility is important, and if something happens …

“We had a time or two last year where during the year late in the game, we could have used them in those situations, so we thought we’d be better prepared this year by giving them some time out there.”