Hosmer nursing tightness in right quadriceps
KANSAS CITY -- First baseman Eric Hosmer was held out of the Royals' starting lineup on Saturday night because of tightness in his right quadriceps.
Hosmer had the same ailment during Spring Training and it resurfaced this week in the cold and wet weather during a series against the Minnesota Twins.
"It's going to be cold again tonight. I'm going to sit him and play him again [Sunday], when it's warm," manager Ned Yost said. "I don't want to take any chances with that flaring up. It's just tight, he didn't pull it."
Hosmer also sat out Friday night's game against the Toronto Blue Jays, but that ostensibly was to get a right-handed batter, Miguel Tejada, some playing time and in the lineup against a left-handed pitcher.
On Saturday night, Billy Butler started at first base, and Yost said that Hosmer might be available as a late-inning defensive replacement.
With the designated hitter slot opened by Butler's move, Lorenzo Cain took over as the designated hitter and Jarrod Dyson took Cain's usual position in center field. Yost wants to reduce the wear-and-tear on Cain's legs which were wracked by three different injuries last season.
"Cain's done phenomenally well with his legs. But we're still trying to find ways to keep him off his legs. Just give him a break here, a break there and he's just looked great running," Yost said.
Third baseman Mike Moustakas'.176 batting average led to another lineup change; he was dropped into the sixth spot in the batting order. He'd been fourth and was moved to fifth on Friday night when, in an 8-4 loss to the Blue Jays, he walked and popped out three times to third base.
"We need a little more production in the middle of that lineup and Moose, in my opinion, is going to be a big-time producer for us," Yost said. "But right now, he's struggling a little bit so we'll drop him down, let him get his feet on the ground, get rolling and we'll get him right back up in there."
Catcher Salvador Perez was in the cleanup spot behind Butler.