KANSAS CITY -- It might not be in this game but, almost certainly during this four-game series against Tampa Bay, Esteban German will get some time in the Royals' lineup.
With a versatile utility player, you never know just when or where.

German, however, has been on an offensive tear. In his last 11 games, he's batting .481 (13-for-27) with six RBIs and that raised his average from .152 on June 23 to the current .247.

That he's played just those 11 games in the last month indicates that it's not all that easy for Royals manager Trey Hillman to get German in the lineup.

"It is kind of tough but when the guy goes out there, he's keeping the ball hit," Hillman said. "He looks stronger. Physically, he's better than he was at the start of the season. That's not to say he wasn't in shape, it's that his working parts are feeling better and are healthier. It's hard to find spots, but I think we still can."

Hillman suspects that a wrist injury slowed down German earlier.

"He's approaching 100 at-bats, and the past few years he had more at-bats than he has at this point. But with the wrist injury there's a theory -- although Hermie would never use this as an excuse -- that maybe it wasn't at full strength until as recently as a month or month-and-a-half ago," Hillman said. "I certainly didn't see the player that people had told me about, at least offensively, until recently."

In Wednesday's 7-1 loss to Detroit, German entered the game after the fifth inning so veteran Mark Grudzielanek could get a break for the rest of the afternoon. Grudzielanek is OK but, if he needs another breather, German is always ready.

Pitching matchup
KC: RHP Gil Meche (7-9, 4.55 ERA)
Meche had one of his best performances on Saturday night at Chicago, going 6 1/3 innings in a 9-1 victory. He allowed the White Sox just two hits and, at one point, retired 16 of 17 batters. Meche came out of the bullpen with a good fastball and worked both sides of the plate very well. He had thrown just 91 pitches when he was relieved. Meche faced Tampa Bay on July 7, giving up two runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings. The Royals won, but he had a no-decision.

TB: RHP Matt Garza (8-5, 3.68 ERA)
Garza is coming off his eighth win this season, a dominating performance on Saturday night vs. the Blue Jays, in which he allowed two hits over 7 2/3 scoreless innings. He fanned six Jays in the 107-pitch performance, and for only the second time this season did not issue a walk. The 24-year-old right-hander has a mid-90's fastball that sinks, a curve, a slider and a changeup. He is 0-3 in four games vs. Kansas City, with a 3.42 ERA. Garza's lone no-decision to the Royals came this season, when he allowed three runs over 6 2/3 innings on July 7.

Crown Points
This will be the second time this month the Royals have faced the Rays, who lead the American League East. The Rays won three of four at Tampa Bay on July 4-7....The Thursday night game will feature a pink and white rhinestone cap given to the first 20,000 women through the turnstiles on "Girls' Night Out." ... Liz Arnold of Mission, Kans., who has worked with the Dream Factory for 15 years, was in the Buck O'Neil Legacy Seat on Wednesday. ... If you're a bobblehead fan, the Dan Quisenberry bobblehead will be given out to the first 20,000 fans on Saturday night.

Tickets
Buy tickets now to catch the game in person.

On the Internet
MLB.TV
Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official game notes

On television
• FSN-HD

On radio
• KCSP 610

Up next
• Friday: Royals (Brian Bannister, 7-8, 5.49) vs. Rays (Edwin Jackson, 5-7, 4.25), 7:10 p.m. CT
• Saturday: Royals (Luke Hochevar, 6-8, 5.47) vs. Rays (Scott Kazmir, 8-5, 2.80), 6:10 p.m. CT
• Sunday: Royals (Kyle Davies, 3-2, 4.58) vs. Rays (Andy Sonnanstine, 10-5, 4.54), 1:10 p.m. CT

Dick Kaegel is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.