Cabrera, a switch-hitter, likely will be part of a left-field-right-field-DH rotation with Alex Gordon, Jorge Bonifacio and Brandon Moss.
To make room on the 40-man roster, the Royals designated for assignment right-handed Minor Leaguer Andrew Edwards.
Cabrera is hitting .288 with 13 home runs and 56 RBIs. He also has nine outfield assists, tied for the Major League lead.
Cabrera is still owed about $5.6 million of his $15 million deal for 2017. The Royals will have to pay about $2.5 million of that, per an MLB.com source.