The Kansas City Royals have welcomed outfielder Bubba Thompson into their fold, claiming him off waivers from the Texas Rangers.

Thompson, once a part of the Rangers’ outfield roster, now joins the Royals’ 40-man lineup and has been assigned to Triple-A Omaha.

Interestingly, Thompson marks the fourth player to make the transition from the Texas Rangers to the Kansas City Royals this season. The Royals have displayed a penchant for acquiring former Rangers, having previously secured pitcher Cole Ragans and Joe Barlow through various transactions.

In another twist of fate, the Royals recently traded for pitcher Taylor Hearn, who the Rangers had previously dealt to the Atlanta Braves.

The Texas Rangers had to make a tough decision, designating Thompson for assignment to accommodate the return of outfielder J.P. Martinez, who was activated ahead of the series against the San Francisco Giants.

This move effectively ends any possibility of Thompson being sent back to the Triple-A Round Rock. If he had cleared waivers, the Rangers would have retained him.

Thompson’s stint with the Rangers saw him amass a .170 batting average (9-for-53) with four RBI over 37 games, 14 of which he started. He made appearances for the Rangers during two periods in the season – Opening Day to June 2, and July 28 to August 1. The remainder of his season was spent with the Round Rock affiliate.

Having made his debut with the Rangers last August, Thompson showcased his abilities with consistent playtime in the final two months of the season. Across 92 career MLB games, he posted a .242/.286/.305/.591 slash line, including nine doubles, a triple, a home run, and four RBI. He also showcased his speed, stealing 22 bases.

Thompson, a first-round pick by the Rangers in 2017 from McGill-Toolen Catholic in Mobile, Ala., now begins a new chapter in his baseball journey with the Kansas City Royals.