KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- The Kansas City Royals reinstated outfielder Jorge Soler from the injured list and optioned infielder Kelvin Gutierrez on Monday before starting their final homestand with three games against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Soler was hopeful that he could return for the final week of the season after hurting his oblique. The slugger has failed to match his breakout 2019 season, when he played all 162 games and hit a club-record 48 homers, but has still hit .235 with eight homers and 22 RBIs for a club that is in rebuilding mode.
He was the designated hitter and batting cleanup on Monday night.
Gutierrez had one hit in 12 at-bats over four games this season. He had appeared in 20 games last season, hitting .260 while showing some versatility on defense.