<
>

Royals DFA veteran OF Jackie Bradley Jr., call up Dairon Blanco

The Kansas City Royals designated veteran Jackie Bradley Jr. for assignment Monday and called up fellow outfielder Dairon Blanco.

Blanco is starting in left field and batting ninth in Monday night's game at home against the Cincinnati Reds.

Bradley, 33, is batting just .133 with one homer in 43 games this season, his first in Kansas City. The 2016 All-Star and 2018 American League Championship Series MVP, both with Boston, is a lifetime .225 hitter with 109 homers and 449 RBIs in 1,181 games with four teams.

Blanco, who came over from Cuba in 2016, got seven at-bats in five games for the Royals at the end of last season. He went 2-for-7 with a run and two RBIs.

He is slashing .347/.444/.451 with 47 stolen bases in 49 games at Triple-A Omaha this season.

"An exciting player," Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. "He's been consistent with his stolen bases. He's not just on a hot streak."