Royals designate Chris Owings for assignment, promote Cheslor Cuthbert
The Royals made what had grown into the inevitable decision to cut bait with utility player Chris Owings, and they promoted Cheslor Cuthbert to the majors and inserted him into the starting lineup for Friday night’s game against the Texas Rangers in Arlington, Texas.
The Royals announced they’d designated Owings for assignment and purchased the contract of Cuthbert from Class AAA Omaha on Friday afternoon.
“Cuthbert was swinging the bat really, really well down there,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “We just got to a point where we need to continue to try to move forward. We need to continue to try to continue to try to find ways to get offense. The bottom of our lineups has really struggled. This is a move that we didn’t want to make but had to make.”
The move became necessary when Hunter Dozier came out of Thursday night’s game with right-sided thorax tightness. Dozier came into the game among the top 10 in the American League in batting average (sixth, .315), on-base percentage (seventh, .397), slugging percentage (third, .592) and triples (fifth, three).
Dozier came out of Thursday’s game after feeling tightness in the area between his chest and pelvis after he swung through a change-up.
“Throughout the at-bat it just got tighter and tighter,” Dozier said after the game. “They just decided to take me out just to be careful.”
The Royals signed Owings as a free agent this offseason to a one-year deal worth $3 million with the intention of using him in a utility role as an infielder and an outfielder as well as to serve as insurance at shortstop in case Adalberto Mondesi fell victim to injury issues which had plagued Mondesi throughout his career.
Mondesi hasn’t played more than 110 games in any season since 2013, and he played fewer than 100 games in 2015 and 2016.
However, Owings had been having a dreadful season on offense. He’d been playing almost every day in varying positions to start the season, but he’d played less as his offensive struggles continued.
“Dozier is going to be a day or two,” Yost said. “Chris has been working so hard to try to get his offense going. He just couldn’t do it. He just really struggled to put himself in a position to make contact. Defensively, he’s as good as they come. He’s as good of a utility infielder as Whit (Merrifield), and Whit is the best I’ve ever seen.”
Owings batted .133 with a .193 on-base percentage and a .222 slugging percentage with two home runs, nine RBIs, eight walks and 55 strikeouts in 41 games. His strikeout percentage was a career-high 37.9 percent.
When Dozier went through back spasms in April, the Royals brought up third baseman Kelvin Gutierrez, who started 13 games at third base. Gutierrez could have been an option this time around.
Gutierrez came off the injured list on Friday for Omaha, but the Royals decided to bring up Cuthbert, who has played extended stretches at third base in the majors.
“I’ve been doing the same things,” Cuthbert said when asked about any adjustments he’d made at the plate. “I’m just more focused right now.”
Cuthbert, 26, batted .310 with a .370 OBP and a .528 slugging percentage to go with eight home runs and 35 RBIs in 51 games for the Omaha Storm Chasers. He ranked fourth in the Pacific Coast League in hits and in doubles (17) at the time of his promotion.
During his time with the Royals from 2015-18, he’d posted a slash line of .252/.303/.378 with 18 home runs and 79 RBIs in 235 games. Last July, Cuthbert went on the 60-day DL with a lower back strain, and during the offseason the Royals designated him for assignment. He cleared waivers and remained with the Royals on a minor-league deal.
“It feels like I’ve been away from the team for a long time,” Cuthbert said. “It’s a process. Sometimes you have struggles in your career. You learn from it and just try to get better from it.”
Cuthbert played 27 games at first and nine at third base and served as a designated hitter in the minors this season with Class AAA Omaha. He’s played 200 games at third base in the majors in his career.
This story was originally published May 31, 2019 at 6:57 PM.
