MINNEAPOLIS -- The Royals recalled infielder Christian Colón and selected the contracts of outfielder Daniel Nava and pitcher Kevin McCarthy from Triple-A Omaha on Tuesday. Outfielder Reymond Fuentes and pitcher Nick Tepesch were designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster.
Though the Royals didn't necessarily want to send Colon down, he was optioned to Triple-A Omaha on Aug. 31 because the club needed bullpen depth in the short term. Colon will continue to serve as infield depth along with Hunter Dozier, with super-utility man Whit Merrifield providing additional flexibility.
Colon had been hitting .228/.295/.268 with 10 RBIs in 47 games, including 33 starts, with the Royals this season.
The switch-hitting Nava, who was acquired from the Angels in a trade on Aug. 30, gives Royals manager Ned Yost a left-handed bat off the bench. Nava hit .235/.309/.303 with a homer and 13 RBIs with the Angels before he was designated for assignment on July 30.
"If we pinch-run for [Kendrys] Morales at the DH spot and that spot comes back around, we feel like we're covered with Nava from the left side, Hunter Dozier and Colon from the right side," Yost said before Tuesday's game against the Twins. "It's just depth."
McCarthy, 24, earned his first Major League callup. He went 2-4 with a 2.97 ERA at Omaha after being moved up from Double-A Northwest Arkansas on June 16.
"We just needed another arm," Yost said. "Our guys have been really used a lot in the last 10 days and another arm always helps."