KANSAS CITY -- The Royals made a flurry of roster moves on Saturday, optioning first baseman Ryan McBroom to their alternate training site, designating for assignment infielder Matt Reynolds, reinstating third baseman Kelvin Gutierrez from the injured list and recalling outfielder Nick Heath.

Here’s the meaning behind each move:

Optioning McBroom: It has been a struggle lately for McBroom, who caught everyone’s attention by setting a franchise record this season with three pinch-hit home runs. But McBroom is mired in a 1-for-20 slump, and on Friday night he came up twice with runners in scoring position only to strike out and fly out to short right field.

And with the Royals wanting to get a longer look at prospect Edward Olivares in center field, Whit Merrifield has been pushed to right field and Hunter Dozier to first base. That has left few chances for McBroom to get at-bats, especially because third baseman Maikel Franco is nursing a leg injury and needs to DH a few times a week.

“He’d be the first to admit he doesn’t look right, doesn’t feel right,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said of McBroom. “He’s been a really good piece to this team with so many great pinch-hits. But days like [Friday] show he’s out of rhythm, so it’s, ‘How can we get him back?’ Send him to the secondary site and get him the ABs and get him locked back in.”

Reinstating Gutierrez: After being placed on the 45-day IL because of a Grade 2 right elbow sprain before the season even started, Gutierrez has been rehabbing partly in Arizona and then at the alternate site at T-Bones Stadium in Kansas City, Kan. Gutierrez will be able to fill in for Franco at third base while Franco is the DH.

“As long as Jorge Soler [IL with oblique soreness] is healing,” Matheny said, “we can DH Franco as much as possible and get that leg right. Get a guy who can play some third, and that’s Guti.”

Calling up Heath: The Royals have been intrigued by Heath’s speed from the time he showed up in Spring Training. He played in five games earlier this season before a hamstring injury shelved him.

“We’ve liked having Nick Heath here before with the [speed] component he brings,” Matheny said. “He’s going to get some starts, and also brings that element off the bench.”

DFAing Reynolds: The Royals signed Reynolds in the offseason with hopes he could be a valuable utility man who could provide infield depth. He played in three games and went 0-for-11 with seven strikeouts.

Royals trade Gigliotti

To complete a trade made on July 21 with Tampa Bay to acquire right-hander Stephen Woods Jr., the Royals on Saturday sent Minor League outfielder Michael Gigliotti to the Rays.

Woods had been a Rule 5 Draft selection last December, but he was not going to be kept on the Royals’ 30-man roster to start the season. He was offered back to the Rays, who traded him back to the Royals for a player to be named later. That turned out to be Gigliotti.