Royals activate Mike Moustakas, option Cheslor Cuthbert to Omaha

The Royals activated third baseman Mike Moustakas from the disabled list Saturday before their second of three games against the White Sox in Chicago and optioned infielder Cheslor Cuthbert back to Class AAA Omaha.

Moustakas rejoined the Royals on Friday after going 2 for 8 with three strikeouts in a two-game rehab stint at Class AA Northwest Arkansas. Royals manager Ned Yost called the short stay a “tester” for Moustakas, who went on the disabled list in early May with a sesamoid fracture in his left thumb. He was batting .258 with seven homers before going on the disabled list.

Yost said Friday the decision to send down Cuthbert would be difficult. He appeared in 13 games at third base in place of Moustakas.

“He’s been playing really good for us,” Yost said of Cuthbert. “But you can only keep 25 guys on your team. We’ll have to decide which guy we can afford to send out.”

Three days ago, the Royals elected to summon utility man Whit Merrifield from Omaha and option infielder Christian Colon back to the minors. For now, the Royals are committed to carrying 13 pitchers on their 25-man roster while operating with a three-man bench. The short bench, Yost said, forced the decision to add Merrifield, who can play the outfield in addition to all four infield spots.

In Omaha, Cuthbert could see time at second base in addition to his usual reps at third. Cuthbert entered Friday batting .255 with a .271 on-base percentage in 12 games.

Yost would like to use Merrifield as a secondary option at second base to keep Omar Infante fresh at second base. Earlier this month, Yost outlined a plan to give Infante two to three days off per week. That will likely continue, even with Colon now back at Omaha.

“It just depends,” Yost said. “It’s kind of like the right-field situation; I’m waiting for somebody to get hot there. Omar has been playing better since we’ve been giving him these little breaks.”

This story was originally published May 21, 2016 at 8:47 AM with the headline "Royals activate Mike Moustakas, option Cheslor Cuthbert to Omaha."